Fallen Kingdom
by 7King Bowser7
Summary: The event the people of the Mushroom Kingdom always feared would happen has finally come to pass. In their decisive battle, Bowser has slain Mario and overtook the entire Mushroom World under the yoke of his all-powerful Koopa Empire. Twenty years after the day the Mushroom Kingdom fell, will Luigi be able to pick up the pieces and finish what his brother started?
1. The Last Day of the Mushroom Kingdom

**Chapter One: The Last Day of the Mushroom Kingdom**

Flames flickered in Mario's eyes as he ran down the oft-traveled road to Peach's castles, explosions echoing all around him. The Toad Houses, usually so quaint and cheerful-looking, were burning, their bright-colored paint streaked with soot. A bullet bill streaked through the air, smashing into the green mushroom-shaped roof of the item shop and blowing it to bits, scattering the brown cobblestone streets with burning chunks of green-painted wood. Chaotic sounds were all around him; crying and screaming, angry shouting, violent explosions and ever-present whirring of the propellors of the airships that filled the cloudy night sky. Toad Town was burning, and, somehow, not matter how hard he tried, there was no way to stop it.

The streets, usually filled with happy-go-lucky Toads gossiping, shopping, or simply enjoying the fresh air were filled with the forces of the Koopa Troop. There was a gang of Koopa Troopas breaking down the door of a blue Toad House with a massive hole in it's roof from a stray Bob-omb, while off in a corner near the Badge shop he could see his old friend, the young Goomba named Goombella head-bonking a Hammer bro...unfortunately only one of the hundreds that were around Toad Town tonight. Mario had pulled out all of his stops. All of his friends were here...every single person who he had fought with throughout all his escapades throughout the Mushroom World. There was even a detachement of soldiers from the Beanbean Kingdom...a welcome sight to be sure, since they were vastly outnumbered. Up ahead, at the stop of the gentle incline Toad Town's main road ran through, was Peach's castle itself, which was being circled by an airship, it's flag depicting the face of it's ruler flying in the breeze. Even as another Toad House collaposed, the fire eating away at it's walls proving too much for it, Mario forced himself to carry on. Toad Town was just a town...a town full of fond memories, yes, but nothing they couldn't rebuild. The Princess, on the other hand, was a differant matter entirely.

The wind was blowing smoke from the fires in Mario's direction, burning at his eyes and obscuring his vision. The airships hovering over the city continued to fire their cannons, letting down a seeming inexhaustable hail of bullet bills that continued to destroy more and more of the town. He knew that in the plains surrounding the town, there were even more of Bowser's forces, hundreds of tanks and millions of troops. Some of his friends were leading the fight down at that front...like Yoshi, Admiral Bobbery, and Watt, to name a few. He sincerely hoped they were all right. He had too much faith in his friends to believe that a couple of Koopas would be too much to deal with...but even someone like him had to admit that they were up against a whole lot of Koopas. If he were to go to Bowser's Castle at the moment, Mario thought, he'd find the castle nearly empty. It was as if Bowser had turned out his entire army and sent it at Toad Town. Up ahead, faintly visible in the glowing light of the fires, Mario saw a Toad. He was crying for help, as Toads were prone to do. There were three Koopas advancing towards him. Quickly, Mario launched into action. He'd taken far too many detours already...really he ought to have more faith in his friends as well as his brother, who was fighting in another district of Toad Town. It didn't matter, though...he just couldn't ignore someone helpless like this Toad. If only he was strong enough to stop all of the bullet bills which were destroying the town. This was a new feeling for Mario, feeling powerless. Usually he'd been near-invincible, no matter how many enemies he was fighting or how much powerful equipment they were using. This time, though, he was having to come to terms with the fact that sometimes, even he wasn't enough.

Mario leaped through the air, flying over the brown cobblestones which were shining orange in the light of the fires, and came down hard on a Koopa, smashing him into his shell. Before the other Koopas could do anything, he had downed the one of the right with a punch in the face and sent the one on the left flying into a Toad House's gaurdan, crushing the flowers which it's owner had spent so long maintaining.

"M...Mario!" the Toad exclaimed joyfully, getting up. Mario saw that he was one of the Mushroom Retainers, thanks to the blue vest he was wearing.

"Toad!" Mario said quickly. "Where's the-a princess?" he dreaded asking the question. Had Bowser got her already?"

The Toad's face became creased with worry. "I...I don't know." he confessed, flincing as a bullet bill crashed into a house a few blocks away from them, blowing it to pieces with a fiery explosion. "I havn't seen her since the attack started!"

Mario nodded and dashed away from the Toad, trusting him to find a safe path out of the town himself. It seemed a bit careless, but he was too worried about the princess to think of anything else. The ground shook at Mario's feet with the force of the explosions as he continued running up the road, the castle looming before him. It was seemingly untouched, unlike the Toad Houses.

"Hey, it's Mario!" came a gruff voice from in front of him. "Get him and we'll all be promoted three ranks!" there was a large, muscular Koopa in a football uniform charging towards him, flanked by two Hammer Bros. They had come at Mario too fast for him to react. Any attempt to jump would only mean being hit by the hammers. He readied himself. If only he had brought his hammer...it was still hanging on the wall of his room, completely untouched. Nobody had expected Bowser to launch an all-out invasion today. Therefor, he was going to have to make do with his fists. This was going to be tight.

Just before the three Koopas reached him, a flash of green shot out from one of the side streets, kicking away one Hammer bro instantly before slamming a hammer into the Chargin' Chuck's face with such force not even his football helmet could protect him. The other Hammer Bro was too surprised to react. Luigi dealt him a heavy blow on the head that knocked him out cold.

"Mario!" Luigi gasped, trying to catch his breath. "This...this is-a crazy!"

"I-a know, Luigi." Mario nodded, feeling quite exhausted himself. "How are you and others doing?"

"N...not too well, Mario." Luigi admitted with a nervous quiver in his voice. Mario noticed that Luigi was all bruised up; that only filled him with more rage at Bowser for having caused all of this. "There are so many Koopas...every time we beat one, there seems to be three more! It looks like they've broken through Bombette's squad, too, since there are tanks pouring into the city by the right entrance! I think Roy's leading them, although I'm not sure."

Mario nodded grimly; he hoped the pink Bob-omb was all right. Roy Koopa...that was the last thing they needed! Until now all they'd had to deal with was weaker troops...even though the Koopalings had never been much of a problem for Mario, at least they knew how to prolong a fight, which was something Mario couldn't afford to have happen. "Go-a help her, Luigi." Mario urged, flinching as an explosion sounded a few blocks away. "If Roy's really here, you-a need to deal with him fast, before he caused any trouble!"

Luigi nodded, shooting a concerned look to Peach's Castle, which was still being circled by the airship. "Mario...the princess..."

"Will be all right!" Mario cut him off quickly. "I'll-a handle Bowser, Luigi! You-a make sure no more of his troops get inside the town, OK?"

"Allrighty, Mario." Luigi nodded, although his mustached face was still streaked with worry. He darted off down an adjacent street, holding his hammer in an offensive position as he approached a gang of Koopas and Goombas who were running down the road, having split from the main army to ransack some of the abandoned Toad Houses. Mario turned away; he knew Luigi could handle goons like them. He had a mission to do.

As Mario ran up the path, past the once-proud fountain depicting the princess' statue in the town square, with the heat of the flames around him causing sweat to drip off his skin, he reflected on the series of events which had led to this tragedy occuring. While he'd been an enemy of the Mushroom Kingdom for years, Bowser had never brought the full might of the Koopa Kingdom against them. His attacks had been small raids and outlandish, even cartoonish schemes which, sure, caused no end of trouble to the princess and her subjects, but had never brought about large-scale destruction. The largest raid up until this one Bowser had launched was his attack on the Star Festival a few years ago...and even then, his forces were far smaller than what he was deploying today. Mario thought grimly about the event that had finally driven the Koopa King over the edge. If he had known this would have happened...would he have done it? Would he have finally dared to get down on his knee on the summit of Star Hill, and give to Peach the diamond ring that he'd spent so long picking out? Would he have dared to say his vows...to move into the castle with her...to begin plans to start a family?

The chaotic and often violent love triangle between Mario, Bowser, and Peach was commen knowledge to everyone in the two kingdoms, but Mario had often thought Bowser had never quite taken his rival's attraction to the princess seriously. He didn't blame him; there had been times, years ago, when he had considered the possibility that he and the princess would be better off just being friends (getting rejected on the moon sure didn't help). But well, he'd rescued her again and again, and both of their feelings grew and grew, until, before long, there they were at the alter. At that glorious moment, Mario had thought things could only go upwards from there. He'd forgotten about one crucial detail, though. Bowser.

Mario and Peach had been so caught up in post-wedding bliss that they hadn't given the Koopa King a thought. There had been times, Mario now realized, where Luigi had tried to bring up the subject, but he'd always ignored his brother, and Luigi had been so happy for the couple that he didn't have the heart to bring the unpleasant subject up too often. Mario had been married for one month now. It had been three days since they had returned from their honeymoon. They had been working on rearranging furniture to better suit the private appartments of Peach's castle to married life along with Mario's own personal tastes, when, at roughly five o'clock, the airships had appeared. Of course Bowser had taken this horribly. His one goal in life had been snatched away from him; why hadn't he thought of this before? There were thousands of airships, stretching from one end of the sky to another. The Mushroom Plains were swamped with troops and huge tanks and Banzai Bill Blasters. What followed was a rapid summoning of nearly every ally Mario had ever met...and the beginning of the darkest, most destructive battle that had ever been fought on the once-peaceful streets of Toad Town.

Peach's Castle was only a few feet away from Mario now, the propellors of the airship filling his ears. The castle, usually a shining beacon of happyness and safety for all the people of the mushroom kingdom was shrouded in shadow thanks to the dark, cloudy night, and the flames cast an orange glow with dancing shadows upon the white brick walls. The brown doors, emblazoned with the image of a mushroom, were bolted shut; although he knew there was no way they would hold against Bowser's forces, even if they had been barricaded. He could only hope that the princess, Toadsworth, and the rest of the castle's inhabitants had managed to escape through the warp pipes in the castle's basement...although who knew where they'd end up after that. He didn't have time to think about that right now, though. Turning around so that his back face that castle, Mario crouched down before flipping around, preforming a backwards somersault so that he'd get enough distance to grab onto the handrail of the castle balcony. Effortlessly pulling himself up, Mario wasted no time leaping onto the frame of the huge, stained-glass window depicting Princess Peach, and from there leaping onto the roof. He landed firmly on the smooth red tiles.

Now above all of Toad Town, Mario, for the first time since he'd gone down to fight, glimpsed the hopelessness of their situation. The rolling plains that surrounded the town were swamped by Bowser's army. Mario could scarecly see any of his own troops. More then half of the brightly-colored Toad Houses were on fire, lighting up the night with a flickering orange glow. Bullet Bills were streaking down from the air, blasting into houses with no clear intent other then to destroy, reducing the homes of countless Toads who Mario knew by name to piles of burning rubble. The Koopa Troop was just starting to enter the city, having broken through the wall of defenders who were giving it their all for the princess' sake, spilling onto the streets. It was only in a few spots as of yet, but at the rate things were going, it seemed like the kind of thing that would only get worse with time. All while the fighting was going down on the ground, hundreds of airships hovered in the sky, letting loose the relentless hail of bullet bills with no resistance aside from the occasional hit-and-run from somebody with flight capabilities like Parakarry or Lakilester. Mario narrowed his eyes, tightening his white-gloved hand into a fist. He, and only he could end this fight right now. He turned to the airship which had been circuling the castle.

The airship had stopped and was now hovering in place a few few away from Mario, so close to the castle's roof Mario could nearly touch the bottom of the hull without even a jump. While it was the average size of all the airships in Bowser's fleet, up close like this it looked completely massive to Mario, despite him having faced the flying vessels countless times before. The gigantic stone Bowser figurehead loomed over him, it's face carved in a perpetual snarl. Just above the figurehead, at the very front of the desk, Mario glimpsed the koopa responsible for all of this chaos. "Bowser." he said, in a serious voice quite uncharictaristic for him. While he'd always had more of a friendly rivalry with the Koopa King as opposed to actually hating him, right now, with the noise of the explosions in Toad Town viberating in his ears, there was nothing he wanted to do more then grab Bowser by the tail and throw him as hard as he could right into one of his own airships.

"Mario." Bowser hissed, snorting steam from his nostrals. He gripped the handrail of the airship so hard that the wood spiltered between his claws. "You're going to regret all of this."

"No, you're-a going to regret it!" Mario shouted loudly so as to be heard over the sounds of the propellors. "Bowser, I-a get that you're upset. I know you-a love the princess! But that doesn't mean-"

"You don't know a thing about me!" Bowser roared, breathing fire into the air. Without warning he leaped off the airship, landing right in front of Mario and cracking the tiles beneath his feet. Mario leaped back in surprise. Bowser's eyes shone menacingly as he advanced towards Mario, looking as if he was about to strike at any moment. Mario readied himself. Bowser looked like a caged animal; short-tempered and completely unpredictable. He did not need to be on the receiving end of a fireball right now. "Do you know how long I've loved her, Mario?" he roared, raising his fist into the air. "Do you know how much effort I've put into getting her to love me!"

"Well, maybe if you hadn't have-a kidnapped her, things might have be-a different!" Mario couldn't resist shouting back at him. That only served to infuriate Bowser even more.

"You're so smug, Mario!" he roared. "You think you're the one who's going to have the happy ending, do you? WRONG!" he braced himself, getting into a fighting stance. Mario hurriedly did the same. "I'm going to crush you, Mario! I'm going to crush you and your whole pathetic kingdom! Then Peach'll finally see that I'm the better guy! She'll finally respect me!" he looked down at Mario, pure hate in his crimson eyes. "And I'll finally get the chance to do what I've been waiting to do for years...Mario." he growled deeply and menacingly. For a moment, the two enemies locked eyes, stairing at each other while the thunder-like rumble of explosions sounded below them. Then, Bowser broke the stand-off.

The Koopa King leaped towards Mario, smashing down on the spot the plumber had been standing on, Mario only just managing to dart away as the tiles splintered under the force of Bowser's powerful fist. Instantly Bowser rushed to Mario, pulling his fist back for a punch, which Mario promptly ducked under. Bowser, advanced, throwing punch after punch with surprising speed considering his weighty body, forcing Mario to leap over and slide under them to avoid being hit with a bone-crushing smash. Without warning Bowser opened his mouth and breathed a massive fireball just as Mario finished back-flipping over one of his fists. The red-hot fire shone in Mario's eyes as it zoomed towards him. His battle-hardened reflexes kicking in, Mario managed to leap back up as soon as his feet touched the ground, leaping over the fireball as he felt the heat on his skin. With a roar of anger, Bowser aimed another fireball at the airborne Mario, only for Mario to twist out of the way at the last second and land cleanly on Bowser's head. He slammed his feet down as hard as he could on the green scales between the Koopa King's two horns before vaulting off as Bowser retreated into his shell. He noted with relief that he hadn't taken a single hit yet, aside from the slight burning on his skin from the near miss with the fireball.

Like a super-powered top, Bowser's shell began to spin and it shot towards Mario, forcing him into a run. The spiked shell kicked up the castle's red tiles on it's destructive path towards Mario, as it drew closer and ever closer to the plumber, who was running around the castle's central tower trying to escape. However, Mario had fought Bowser too many times to think he could outrun his attack. Rather, he turned around to face the shell, which was moving towards him with the force of a speeding train. He jumped over it and let it spin underneath him, landing safely in the shallow trench the shell had carved in the castle's red rooftop. Bowser leaped out of his shell and tried to slice Mario with his claws, but Mario ducked under before leaping up with an uppercut, striking Bowser on the jaw and making him stagger back. Not for the first time that night, Mario wished he had brought his hammer; now would have been the perfect time to get in an extra-powerful slam. Unfortunately, he'd have to make do with what he had. Mario jumped up and drove his foot into Bowser's face with a powerful kick, effortlessly moving into a heavy punch between his eyes. Bowser grunted in pain; but Mario knew from experience that it would take more then that to bring him down. Suddenly he felt the crushing grip of Bowser's claws tighten around his body.

"He must have-a grabbed me while I was attacking!" Mario realized in horror as Bowser drew back his arm and hurled him. Mario went flying, faceplanting on the roof and bounching across the red tiles, with each fall feeling as if it broke a new bone. Mario lay on the roof, surrounded by splintered tiles; but he only allowed himself a second of rest. This pain was nothing compared to what Bowser was inflicting on Toad Town. He jumped to his feet, his eyes quickly noticing the shadow that had fallen across him. With a spike of fear he leaped back as Bowser slammed down on his former location with such force Mario was surprised he didn't break through the roof. The force of Bowser's fall sent a shockwave towards Mario that hit him just as his feet touched the ground. Instantly, Mario felt as if he'd just been punched in the chest, even though he couldn't see any visable attack. He went flying through the air, digging his fingers into the ground to slow his flight. Bowser was charging another fireball; if he couldn't regain control of himself right here, he was going to end up taking a direct hit. As the fireball careened towards him, Mario managed to stop his unwanted flight and began to run towards the glowing fireball, vaulting over to it to land next to Bowser and hit him with a string of punches. Bowser spun around, attempting to smack Mario with his heavy tail. Mario saw it coming and jumped over it, watching as the tail smashed out a series of bricks from the central tower. With surprising reflex, Bowser darted around and flung his fist at Mario, who flung his body back so that the attack past just over him, nearly striking his large nose.

What followed was a furious exchange of physical attacks; slow and powerful ones from Bowser, and fast but weaker ones from Mario. Mario darted around the Koopa King, getting in a few punches and kicks, while Bowser moved like a tank, sending punches Mario's way with the force of a cannonball. Bowser held up his fist and ignited it with fire, sparking surprise from Mario. The plumber leaped back as Bowser drove it into the ground like a meteor, generating a small explosion that scortched the pure white bricks. With a roar of rage, Bowser drew air into his lungs as an area somewhere within his mouth glowed brightly, almost as if he had swallowed the sun. Shielding his eyes from the light swirling within his enemy's jaws, Mario grit his teeth. This was Bowser's most powerful attack; a continuous beam of fire that destroyed everything in his path. If he was going to avoid it, he better start picking up speed. An image of the Princess flashed through Mario's mind as he rushed towards Bowser and the glowing light, which was by now so bright it was blinding and so hot he could feel it even though Bowser had not yet let loose the fire. Princess Peach was counting on him...Luigi was counting on him...the entire kingdom was counting on him! He _had_ to win this! Bowser leaned down, bracing himself for the attack's recoil. Just as he roared, Mario put all the energy he had built up in his run towards a huge jump. The night lit up as the entire roof of Peach's castle was bathed in fire which shot from Bowser's mouth with such force that it chipped away at the castle's solid brick walls. Sweat dripped from Mario's skin as he angled himself towards Bowser's head. The King of the Koopas had built up so much fire now that there was no way he could dodge without abrupting cutting off the flow; something that Mario, judging from his trip down to Bowser's Flame Pipe a few years back, did not think would be a very good idea. He brought his feet down hard on Bowser's head, causing the fire to sputter and die out and Bowser's entire body to shake. With a wild cry, Bowser whipped around, flinging Mario from his head. For just a brief moment, Mario was disoriented. Unfortunately, that was just enough time for Bowser to land a direct punch on Mario's chest.

Mario felt as if all the air had been suddenly forced out of his body. For a moment, he caught a glimpse of Bowser's red eyes, glittering in fury. Then he was sent flying out like a rocket, clear off the castle roof. The pain was too great for Mario to focus, and the next thing he knew, he had slammed into the ground. His entire body felt as if it had been pelted with rocks, and he was sure he had broken at least three bones. His chest area was especially harmed: taking Bowser's punch like that had been like letting a bullet bill hit him head-on. Mario forced himself to open his eyes. This was _Bowser_ he was fighting! Dozens of more powerful enemies then the Koopa King had gone down underneath his boots before; he hadn't gotten his reputation as the Mushroom Kingdom's greatest hero by giving up.

Mario was lying in the road before the castle gates. The entire roof of the castle was ablaze now, thanks to Bowser's firey attack. The Koopa King stood at the edge of the roof, silhouetted in the fire, staring down at him. "Well, would you look at that, Mario." he spat. "I finally beat you."

In spite of his injuries, Mario smirked. "Not today, Bowser!" he said optomistically, rising to his feet. Who cared if he had three broken bones; his legs still worked! As long as he could still preform his signature Super Jump, he could definitely beat Bowser! Pain like this was nearly an every-day occurrence for Mario, even though he still hadn't gotten used to it. "If you-a think something like this will-a beat me, you're even more stupid then I thought! Just wait one second...I'm-a coming right back up!"

Mario thought he detected a glimmer of worry in Bowser's shadowed face, although he couldn't quite tell. Regardless, Bowser scoffed. "Look around you, Mario!" he exclaimed, gesturing with his clawed hand. "It's over! You here me? It's OVER!"

Following Bowser's direction, Mario swept his gaze over the burning Toad Town. Peach's Castle was surrounded by the forces of the Koopa Troop. Bowser's minions clogged the streets, each one of them staring at him with hungry eyes. He caught the familiar faces of Bowser Jr and the Koopalings among them, along with several of the Koopa Troop's generals like Goomboss and Tutankoopa. Any of his friends and allies that he saw were tied up and surrounded by powerful minions. They all looked bruised, scratched, and warn out, as if they couldn't even lift a finger in their own defence anymore. He saw no signs of fighting anywhere within the seemingly-endless ranks of Bowser's army.

"They must have broken through!" Mario realized with horror, as he swept his gaze over several of his defeated allies: Yoshi, Koops, Flurry, Goombario... "That must mean..." his gaze became frantic as he looked for the one green-colored figure who he cared about above all the others. "Luigi!" he shouted audibley.

"Right up here, you little whipper-snapper!" laughed a crazed, aged voice. Mario's eyes instantly flicked to the source of the noise. There, on the top of a blue Toad House which was one of the few not touched by the fire, was Luigi, immobilized by a glowing magical light which surrounded him. Floating before him on an enchanted purple mop was a very short, old Magikoopa dressed in dark purple robes. Facing Luigi were several Bill Blasters that had been set up in the streets...some of them mounted on tanks.

"Mariooooo!" Luigi cried out, his face a mask of terror.

"All it takes is one little order from his foulness and green 'stache here is a pile of ashes." Kammy Koopa gloated as she continued pointing her wand at Mario. "You might want to consider giving up, huh?"

Bowser laughed from his position on the roof, as the Koopalings snickered from their places within the army. Mario ignored them. He was too busy plotting the distance between him and Kammy.

"Don't you see, Mario?" Bowser shouted. "We have you trapped here! Give up and maybe I'll be merciful. All it takes is _one word_ and I blow Greenie there sky-high!"

Mario turned back to Bowser's place atop the burning castle, flashing him a confidant smile. "Do you really think that'll work, Bowser?" he grinned. "No...I'm-a going to save Luigi...and then I'm-a going to beat you!" without another word, Mario leaped through the air. He payed no attention to the legions of Koopas he was soaring over, no attention to the cannons positioned around the conquered down, and certainly no attention to the furious shout Bowser gave from the castle. His boots slammed into Kammy, knocking the frail Koopa off her broom and breaking the spell. With a cry of relief, Luigi leaped off the Toad House roof, heading in the direction away from the castle. "Oh yeah!" Mario exclaimed gleefully, twisting around in the air. That was when he noticed the fifty bullet bills, fresh out of the fifty cannons that had been pointed at the blue Toad House, streaking towards him with killer intent in their slanted white eyes.


	2. Abandoned

**Chapter Two: Abandoned**

The crater was still there in the ruined Toad Town, although grass had by now overgrown it. The Koopa administration of the town had forbidden putting any monument there to mark the resting place of the fallen hero, but the townsfolk came their often, laying offerings of Fire Flowers and Super Leaves down upon the spot where Mario had taken his last breath. When even an armed force of guards around the spot had failed to deter them, Toad Town's chief administrator, a veteran Koopa Troop officer by the name of Boom Boom, had just given up. It wasn't doing any harm, really. Tears weren't going to bring Mario back.

Toad Town had never been rebuilt. While there had been a movement to fortify it and transform it into the capital of the Koopa-occupied Mushroom Kingdom, Bowser had ultimately ruled against it. Most suspected that there were too many painful memories associated with the place that he wanted to put behind. The main members of Mario's fighting force were arrested and carried away to who knew where, of course, but the ordinary inhabitants of Toad Town were generally allowed to stay in their old homes; if anything remained of them, of course. The once-vibrant Town was a sorry sight. Most of the Toad Houses were highly damaged, suffering caved-in roofs, cracked walls, and serious fire damage. Even the majestic palace that had once belonged to Princess Peach was a mere shell of it's former self. Nobody had bothered to repair it after Mario and Bowser's battle...or even put the fire out. There were massive holes in the walls and ceiling, and much of the white bricks had been stained black by the fire. The flag of the Koopa Empire flew from the tallest tower, although it was difficult for such a sad, dillapitated structure to look threatening. All thoughout the brown cobblestone streets were strewn the husks of Bowser's war machines which had been destroyed during the battle, ranging from overturned tanks to an entire downed airship which had crushed some houses in the eastern part of the town, it's central mast broken in two and it's hull steadily being covered by ivy. It was often said by the people of the Mushroom Kingdom that the Koopa Empire had left Toad Town in ruins on purpose, as a symbol of the beginning of a new era. The era of the Mario brothers and Princess Peach was over, none could deny that. This was the era of the Emperor Bowser.

If his old friend Professor E. Gadd had still been around, he would have told Luigi that he was a very lucky man. The younger brother had never thought the fact that nobody ever remembered him would come in handy. The vivid days following the death of Mario had been very hazy for Luigi. He had simply ran as far into the little forest that surrounded his house as he could, before simply collapsing into tears. It had been several days before he finally wandered back into Toad Town. By that time, Bowser and his family were long gone, along with most of their army. There was only a small detachment of Koopa Troop soldiers left to keep watch over the remaining Toads. Luigi had been extremely cautious for the first two years; not that he really had it in his heart to oppose Bowser, anyway. Eventually, he had simply starting wandering around the city as he had done in the more peaceful days. The Koopas knew about him, of course, but somehow nobody ever reported him even though he was sure he was an incredibly wanted man. They seemed to consider him a living museum artifact who could do no more harm then a sick Goomba. Luigi didn't bother correcting them; probably because they were right.

It had been twenty years since the terrible event which had come to be called the Battle of Toad Town. Ever since he'd gotten over his worries about the Koopas coming in and capturing him, he had never failed once in his daily visits to what passed for Mario's grave. In his forties, Luigi was not yet old...however he certainly felt like it. He walked with his head down, rarely meeting another person eye-to-eye. Much had changed in the Mushroom World since Luigi had last travelled it. While he didn't care to find out all of the details, he knew, undeniably, that there had been a great war, or perhaps a great many wars, but either way, Bowser's side had come out the victor. The Koopa King, after so long, had finally achieved his dream of world domination. From what he had heard, there was scarcely a place in the Mushroom Kingdom you could go without seeing a trace of the Koopa Empire's influence, although he wouldn't know himself. Luigi's travelling, Goomba-stomping, ghost-busting adventures were long over. There was nothing left of him now but a sad, broken, middle-aged man.

Wiping a tear out of one of his bright blue eyes, Luigi let loose an ice flower from his grip and let it fall into the centre of the crater, on the top of the small pile of offerings the other citizens of Toad Town had left. He knelt there for a moment, once again letting the memories of his wonderful days with Mario rush through his head; their childhood together, (where they had been raised in the castle due to their parents dying not too long after the whole Kamek abduction episode), Mario sticking up for him in plumbing school, the first time they had battled against Bowser to save the princess, the time they were reunited after he, for the first time, had been the one to save his brother against the forces of King Boo...he gave a long sigh, before standing up. Nothing was going to bring Mario back, no matter how much he wanted it.

As Luigi rose, he glanced up at the once-majestic structure of Peach's Castle. He could see two Koopa Troopas guarding the doors, watching him lazily. He paid them no attention however; as long as he left them alone, they'd leave him alone. Turning, he began to walk down Toad Town's main street. While the basic layout of Toad Town was the same, it seemed unrecognizable from the town of the past. Rather then being an idealistic haven where one could enjoy the simple pleasures of life, it now resembled a kind of shanty town...the sort of place that nobody would feel comfortable walking around in after dark unless they were looking for a fight. The yards of the Toad Houses were all overgrown, and it seemed as if at least half the houses were abandoned, their roofs caved in and their walls scorched black. The other half consisted of shoddily repaired dwellings, many of them patched up by chunks of debris, some from Bowser's weapons. Glancing down a rubble-strewn side street, he allowed a wave of memories to hit him. There it was...his favourite pizza parlour. Him and his bro used to eat their nearly every Sunday, when the Princess didn't have them over. It was larger then most of the Toad houses and painted a bright and appealing yellow. The delicious scents from the kitchen used to waft down the street, tempting him into spending his hard-earned coins for an extra bite to eat...nowadays, it was just somebody's house. The glass windows were all boarded up and there was a huge hole in the mushroom-shaped ceiling thanks to a stray bullet bill. It was just a small thing, really, but a clear reminder to Luigi that Toad Town had lost it's soul. It was still Toad Town in name, but this was not the town he had lived in with Mario.

Luigi still lived in his house in the forest next to Toad Town which he had lived in with Mario before. It was in surprisingly good condition, especially compared to the rest of the town. Luigi had always been tidy, and he found the working in the gardens, repainting the walls, or checking up on the plumbing was an excellent way to relieve himself of the repetitivity of day-to-day life. It made his home seem oddly empty without Mario's mess, though. When he didn't have anything to fix, Luigi spent most of his time at an establishment called Shroomer's. Shroomer's was a place that had not existed prior to the Battle of Toad Town. Luigi guessed it had sprung up around ten or so years ago.

Luigi came up towards the green Toad House, which still bore the Fire Flower sign hanging over the door signifying it as an item shop. It was on the corner of the main street and one of the side streets, and, like all buildings in Toad Town, clearly bore the scars of the battle. This was the place where Luigi, time and time again, had bought items with Mario to aid in their quests. These days though, it was a bar; and not exactly a classy one, either. It supposedly sold Chuckola Cola, although Luigi thought that claim dubious. There was something a little off about it...it wasn't quite sweet or bubbly enough, and it tasted a bit watered down. That wasn't surprising, really. From the vague bits of news he'd heard, the Beanbean Kingdom had been hit especially bad during the war. It didn't even sound like it had an active government anymore. Still...it tasted good enough to distract Luigi for a few moments, and it was cheap enough to be bought with a Block or two's worth of coins. Right now, however, Luigi wasn't very thirsty.

It was a strange day, one that seemed almost contradictory to Luigi's feelings. The sky was perfectly blue, with only a few white clouds lazily drifting above them. There was a pleasant smell in the air, the smell of blooming flowers in spring, and Luigi could hear the song of birds. They were chirping and tweeting to each other with just as much enthusiasm as they had before Mario had fallen. It seemed almost peaceful. Luigi went towards Shroomer's and sat down on the small bench next to the door, closing his eyes and letting the warm sun beat down on his face. For a moment...just one moment...he could imagine that things were back to the way they used to be. Mario was still alive, Princess Peach was in his castle and Bowser was nothing more then a rival who's antics more often led to humour then real peril. This lasted far too short for Luigi's liking; only two minutes after Luigi had closed his eyes, he was interupted by a gruff voice, coming from what sounded like the centre of the street.

"Who do yah think you are, you cocky brat, assaulting a soldier of the Koopa Empire? Know your place!" there was a heavy slap, followed by a painful grunt. Luigi opened his eyes. There, a few feet away from him, were two Koopa Troopas and one Chargin Chuck. The Chargin Chuck had grabbed a blue-colored Yoshi by the neck and was holding him tightly while the Koopa in front of him hit the captured dinosaur.

"Hey, you started it!" the Yoshi snarled. "It wasn't my fault you don't let anybody within ten meters of the castle!"

"We have the rule for a _reason,_ punk." the Chargin' Chuck growled. "The boss doesn't want people like you coming and messing things up for him." The Yoshi glared at him, before abruptly kicking his captor in the chest. The Chargin' Chuck didn't seem at all affected. "You're going to have to hit a lot harder then that if you want to knock the wind outta my lungs, kid." he smirked. "Who do yah think you are...Mario?"

The Yoshi tightened his fists. "If I _were_ Mario, do you think I'd just sit back and let you take me in?" he shouted defiantly. "Not a chance. I'm doing what he would have wanted me to do...I'm kicking your shells back to Bowser's Castle!"

The Koopa behind the Yoshi snickered. "You're doing a great job doing that, punk. I'm so scared!" he laughed, slapping the Yoshi hard on his blue head. Luigi looked away. Things like this happened all the time in Toad Town...kids would get reckless, and the Koopas would put them in their place. The Yoshi would go home (probably after a couple days in the cells), with a sore head, and would know not to trouble the Empire again. He'd seen it happen before. Suddenly, Luigi imagined Mario next to him. It was almost as if the plumber was standing in front of him, glaring at the scene occuring on the roads.

"Those cowards!" Mario exclaimed, glaring at the Koopas and tightening his fists. He turned to Luigi. "Luigi, we can't-a let them get away with this! Lets-a-go!" he turned around, rushing towards the enemies, slowing fading out of existance before he reached them. Luigi was alone...just as he had been the last twenty years.

"Mario..." Luigi said to himself, going over the thought in his head. Then, slowly, he rose.


	3. A Spark of Green Light

**Chapter 3: A Spark of Green Light**

Luigi did not quite know why he was walking away from the dingy bar towards the gang of bullies. It was almost as if his feet were moving on their own. One of the Koopas poked the Yoshi in the head, giggling. The Yoshi snarled, but could do nothing to help himself as he was still restrained by the powerful Chargin' Chuck. The sight was enough to make Luigi, who had been a rather mild-mannered person even before he'd become so subdued, begin to get angry. This bright, brave young man's hopes and dreams were about to be crushed...just like the Koopa Empire had done many times before. It wasn't fair and he knew it. Luigi adjusted his lopsided cap. It was still a bright, spotless green; Luigi had never sunk so slow as to stop caring for his perfect appearance and start looking like a tramp. Back in the day he'd been known around the castle as the more gentlemanly brother, compared to the blunt and hot-blooded Mario. One of the Koopas noticed him.

"Hey, look, it's that weirdo." he commented, pointing at him while glancing at the Chargin' Chuck. "Isn't he supposed to be some big deal?"

The Chargin' Chuck shrugged. He was clearly more interested in tormenting the struggling Yoshi then looking at Luigi. "I guess." he said. "Never payed that much attention in the military academy. He looks kind of familiar."

"Shellgo, you're probably mistaken." the third Koopa sighed. "He's just some loser dressed like Mario. He couldn't even get the colours right. Come on, are we gonna throw this kid into the Piranha patch or not?"

"All right, that settles it." Luigi said allowed, feeling a spark of fire run through his veins. "Why can't anybody ever remember me?" It was the first time Luigi had felt inspired to do anything following Mario's death. He'd forgotten how good it felt.

"Why should we remember you?" Shellgo asked cockily, shoving the Yoshi down to the ground. "What do you ever do."

"I'll show you!" Luigi shouted, leaping forward. He dashed across the brown cobblestone, his brown boots lightly stepping across the ground almost as if he wasn't touching it at all. In less then a second, he was right in front of Shellgo. The Koopa Troopa had no time to react. Luigi slammed his fist into the Koopa's fast, sending him flying three meters to crash into an abandoned Toad House. The Yoshi's eyes widened in astonishment. So did the eyes of the Chargin' Chuck and remaining Koopa, who immediatly stopped what they were doing and went into sloppy defensive stances. Luigi twisted his body around before springing nimbly into the air. The three people below him watched him with awestuck, confused expressions, the enemies seemingly forgetting to even fight back. He came down upon the Koopa, smashing him into his shell. Quick as a flash, he ducked under one of the Chargin' chuck's punches, scooped up the shell, and hurled at at the muscular Koopa's chest. The force of the projectile was enough to knock him back, causing him to collapse on the ground heavily. By the time the three bullies had managed to get up, they were on the run, dashing away from Luigi as fast as their legs could carry them.

Luigi paused to catch his breath. Toad Town was silent and peaceful-sounding again. His limbs kind of ached. Twenty whole years without any significant athletic exercise could really do something to you. As he relaxed his legs, he took a look at the young Yoshi, who was slowly getting onto his feet. He looked as if Rosalina herself had just descended down from the stars above him.

"W...what in the world was that?" he gasped, looking over Luigi. Luigi awkwardly adjusted his cap. He felt the Yoshi's scrutinizing gaze burning into him. It wasn't often that he was the subject of this much admiration.

"Just a little something I learned a while back." he said humbly, turning away, before looking back and giving the Yoshi a smile. "Stay away from the Koopas, OK?"

As Luigi began walking down the road (to exactly where, he wasn't sure), he became aware of a warm feeling in his chest. For the first time in...well, ages, he'd actually been a little more then a waste of space. Maybe he ought to do things like this more often. "No." Luigi told himself, remembering with a shudder the terrible explosion which had claimed his brother's life. "I'll just end up like Mario. There's no way he'd want his bro to die!"

Luigi looked up at the sky, gazing at the puffy white clouds drifting lazily above. At least he'd done something more then he'd done the last two decades. If Mario was watching over him right now, he'd certainly be proud...right? As Luigi continued his idle stroll, he heard the sound of someone calling him.

"Hey. Come back here." the voice was stern, and somewhat stubborn sounding. He recognized it as the voice of the Yoshi.

"Huh?" Luigi asked, turning around. The Yoshi was walking towards him, an intense look in his eyes. He didn't look angry, exactly...but he didn't look as if he was simply going to shower him with more praise and compliments. "What is it?" he asked cautiously. "I saved you from the Koopas. Aren't you OK?"

"Yeah, sure I'm OK." the Yoshi said quickly. "But what kind of a guy do you think I am? Do you think I'm going to simply head back to my shack and count my blessings? Not a chance. I haven't seen anybody stand up to the Koopas like that. Even the tough guys around town steer clear of them." he took a few steps forward. Luigi could see he was very passionate. That wasn't an expression he saw often on people in Toad Town; most of the people he saw looked either very defeated or very shifty. "What's your name?" he asked.

Luigi debated about how he could answer the question, before deciding on the truth. There was no harm in it, really. This impulsive young Yoshi was obviously not going to try to bring him in. "My name is Luigi." he responded. "I'm, well...I'm Mario's brother."

A few expressions flashed on the Yoshi's face: first shock, then excitement, then confusion. "I knew Mario had a brother." he puzzled, more to himself then Luigi. "But isn't he dead?"

"If I'm lying, how come I was able to beat up those Koopas like that?" Luigi replied, feeling more then a little irritated at the Koopa for distrusting him.

The Yoshi nodded. "Well if you're alive, how come they're still here?" he asked, giving Peach's Castle, adored with the black flags of the Koopa Empire, a distasteful glance. "You must be at least half as good as Mario was."

The Yoshi's words cut through Luigi like a knife. He'd had twenty years to get over Mario's death. Was he still, after all these years, afraid? He'd gone through multiple haunted houses stuffed with ghosts to save his brother...why couldn't he have faced down an empire composed of the enemies he was familiar with to save his kingdom? If it had been him dead and Mario alive, his brother would have still got the job done. He...he really was the weaker of the two, after all. "I...uh...I don't..."

The Yoshi snorted. "Then you're pathetic." he said distastefully, turning away from Luigi. "You're tougher then probably anyone in the Mushroom Kingdom and all you do is guzzle down bootleg Chuckola Cola down at Shroomers. What a disappointment. That old dork Toadbert cares more about the kingdom then you do." He began to walk down the street in the direction of where the fight had taken place, not looking back at Luigi. Luigi felt crushed. He'd felt so much like his old self after beating those Koopas...no, he wasn't going to let go of that feeling yet!

"H...hey!" he called out towards the Yoshi, waving his white-gloved hand to catch his attention. The Yoshi turned around, glaring at Luigi.

"What?" he asked scornfully.

"Come back." he asked. "Maybe...maybe we can work something out."

A couple minutes later, Luigi and the Yoshi were walking down a path together, the bright green leaves of the nearby forest shading their heads. Since he didn't know where else to go, Luigi was heading towards his house, the Yoshi beside him. As the comforting shade cooled his skin, he began to talk to the Yoshi.

"If we're going to discuss Toad Town, I think I should know a little bit about you first." Luigi decided, glancing down at his companion. "What's your name? Where are you from? What do you do?"

"The name's Cobal." the Yoshi replied, not meeting Luigi's eye. He could tell that the young reptile was still annoyed by his cowardly attitude. "I was born here, in Toad Town, eighteen years ago."

Luigi nodded sadly. This Yoshi had never known the happy days before Bowser's conquest...no wonder he was so rebellious against the Koopa forces.

"Old man Toadbert takes care of me." Cobal continued. "My mom's dead and my father's in prison. The story is he tried to start a riot down at Mushroom City. He never stood a chance."

"Are things bad at Mushroom City?" Luigi asked curiously. He'd been so out of it he'd never really bothered to pay attention to how the kingdom outside Toad Town was faring, let alone the world.

"Boy, you've really been hiding yourself away from everything." Cobal scoffed, glancing up at him. "Mushroom City is the Koopa Empire's main base of operations in the Mushroom Kingdom. It's where the Governor, some dude called General Flame, gets his orders directly from Bowser's Castle. Nobody goes in there unless they're with the Koopas or they're looking for trouble."

"I see." Luigi nodded. He really had missed a lot; that was a pretty important detail. He'd never heard of this General Flame person before; he had to be a new face, somebody who hadn't been too high-up back when the Mario brothers were in their prime.

Cobal continued his story. "I do odd jobs around town, mostly. They only get me a couple coins here and there, plus anything extra I get if I'm lucky enough to find a block. That's pretty much all there is no know about me. Thanks to those stinking Koopas, I've never really got a chance to do much."

They had come to the edge of the path, where Luigi's house stood before them, a quaint little cottage in the middle of the clearing. The word "MARIO" was still displayed above the door in bright red letters; Luigi had recently painted it over last month, to insure that nobody who stumbled across the house would ever forget who had once lived there. Cobal stopped short.

"This was his place, wasn't it?" he asked, turning to Luigi before looking over the house again. He took a few steps forward up the small winding path towards the wooden staircase leading up to the house's deck, and it's door. "It's pretty simple."

"My bro wasn't anything special." Luigi stated with fond recollection, picking up pace to join them as they began walking towards the door. "He never would have like a super-classy looking place."

The two walked up the wooden staircase and reached the door. Luigi turned the handle and the two of them walked inside the cottage. The Mario brother's house had only two rooms (plus the secret basement Luigi had built many years ago to write his diary in). One of the rooms contained the kitchen and living space, while the other was the brothers' bedroom. The entire place was extremely tidy, right down to the two hammers hanging on the walls placed there for convenience. "Why don't you make yourself at home?" Luigi asked. Really, he wasn't quite sure what he had in mind. He wasn't going to abandon this headstrong Yoshi youth, but he wasn't sure what he was going to do with him. He was really making things up as he went along right now, and that had never been his strong suit. "Here, I'll start brewing a pot of Koopa Tea." he strode to the kitchen, motion to Cobal to come sit on one of the comfortable-looking red couches in the living area which faced the modest TV.

"Sure." Cobal nodded. He didn't seem to into the idea, which sort of offended Luigi. He'd always thought of himself as quite an excellent brewer of Tea. Even the Princess had liked it, when she'd had access to the most luxurious blends in the kingdom. "Listen...Luigi." he said from across the room as Luigi opened up one of the cupboards, taking out a couple Turtley Leaves. "I didn't come here for a nice chat, or some life advice, or anything like that. I want some action."

"Action?" Luigi asked, putting the Turtley Leaves in a bowl and glancing back at the Yoshi while absentmindedly crushing them. "You must be mistaken...I'm not really an action kind of guy."

"You beat those creeps pretty good." Cobal insisted. "You're probably the most action-ready guy in Toad Town." he rose to his feet, glancing around the house. His eyes fell upon a wooden hat-stand...specifically at a certain red cap which was hanging there, perfectly free of dust. "You gotta get this, Luigi." he said, as Luigi put the crushed leaves into a bowl and filled it with hot water. "I saw how down you looked when I mentioned my age. I've never known the "good old days" that everyone talks about. I don't wanna live my life dodging the Koopa Troop soldiers. How 'bout you help us chase those creeps clear out of Toad Town?"

Honestly, the idea had quite a bit of appeal to Luigi. He hated the thought of Bowser's forces living in Peach's Castle, messing with the beautiful architecture and elegant decorations Princess Peach had so prized. Still, he had to be realistic, though. They weren't just dealing with the Koopa Kingdom any more...they were dealing with an entire empire that had subjugated the entire Mushroom Kingdom and Beanbean Kingdom...along with probably the rest of the world. There would certainly be consequences to his actions.

"It's not that simple." Luigi said, putting down the bowl of tea mixture. "If we cause trouble here, soon everyone's going to be onto us!"

"So what?" Cobal shrugged. "You're Mario's brother. THE Mario's brother. You have to know a few tricks, right?"

Once again, Luigi found himself thinking about Mario...almost as if his brother was right next to him, just like before when he was standing next to Shroomer's. This time, however, he only needed to think about it for a second. He knew exactly what Mario would do in this situation. Besides, he couldn't ignore the little feeling of pride he felt knowing Cobal had that much trust in his abilities.

"O...Ok." Luigi said, walking across the room and sitting down on the couch. "Let's run through this." he shuddered, not wanting to think about the dread consequences this very un-Luigi like activity he was about to engage in could bring. "Exactly _how_ protected is this town by Bowser's forces?"


	4. A Castle in Captivity

**Chapter Four: A Castle in Captivity**

Two decades of being lived in exclusively by sloppy, untidy, low-level troops had not done Peach's Castle much good. It's carpets, once bright red, were stained, wrinkled, and ripped, while many halls still bore evidence of the fire that had damaged much of the castle thanks to Mario and Bowser's fight on the rooftops. The ornate, antique furniture was, depending on how much use the soldiers found for it, either dusty and covered in cobwebs or chipped, stained, or damaged beyond repair. The troops of the Koopa Empire had no concern for the building's rich history and elegant charm. To them, it was simply a building far past it's time, made drafty due to the holes in the roof that had never been repaired, and continuously suffering from plumbing issues. If Princess Peach (wherever she was) had returned to her former home that day, she probably would have threw a fit and chased the rowdy minions all the way back to the Koopa Kingdom. Unfortunately, though, there wasn't much chance of that happening anytime soon.

The throne room of Peach's Castle was one of the rooms in the building that got the most use. It was once a large, majestic chamber, with a long red carpet running over shining pink-and-white floor up towards a raised platform, where the princess' golden throne stood before a large window overlooking the sprawling Mushroom Plains. The throne was still there; however a lot of random bits of furniture from around the castle had also been moved into the room for the minions to lounge around on. The floor was covered with discarded cups and bones from a feast that had ended weeks ago, and smelt somewhat of mould. It was, to say the least, not a sight Princess Peach would have approved of.

Boom Boom was a Koopa who had always considered himself worthy of a great deal more respect then he was given. For one, he was a great deal larger and more muscular then most Koopas, and had a more rounded face. He hadn't been the first one to draw comparison's to the dragon-like subspecies of Koopa the royal family belonged too; meaning, of course, that he was probably distantly related to the Emperor. Certainly that meant he deserved at least a _small_ title? What was more, he had a whole lot of experience. He had actually fought _Mario_. Sure, he had to admit he'd never really stood much of a chance against his skilled opponent, but that sure didn't mean anything to the troops in his garrison. As far as they were concerned, the only reason their great Captain Boom Boom had lost was because of some dumb luck...and Boom Boom was inclined to keep it that way.

Boom Boom lounged lazily upon the throne, resting his back on one arm-rest and his legs on the other. He sipped some Koopa-Cola contentedly; all that remained of a delightful fast-food dinner he had ordered for himself and his subordinates from the nearby Koopa Village (a town which was doing much better then Toad Town these days, from what he'd seen). He sighed, lazily looking over his minions, who were eating, joking around, or arguing with each other. He grinned, a large, stupid-looking smile. On days like this, Boom Boom often liked to pretend that he was the king. He was on the same throne Princess Peach and generations of rulers before her had ruled the kingdom from, after all. Yup, he was the king of the Mushroom Kingdom and his word was law. At one command, he could transform all of Toad Town into his own private paradise, complete with a huge golden statue of himself standing right on the roof of the castle! He could renovate this dusty relic from the past into his dream home...but that was a job for another day. This day (like yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that), was his off day. He deserved it, after contributing so much to Emperor Bowser's ultimate defeat over Mario thanks to him weakening the plumber up in all of their epic duels. Actually getting something done could come later. It was lunch time.

As Boom Boom enjoyed his fantasy while guzzling that delightfully spicy Koopa-Kola, a green-shelled Koopa suddenly burst through the doors in a panic. Boom Boom sincerely hoped he'd ignore him. He was just about ready to start his third burger, and didn't want to be troubled by any petty issues. To his disappointment, however, the Koopa went right to the throne.

"Captain! Captain Boom Boom, sir!" he saluted in a breath. Reluctantly, Boom Boom put down his Koopa-Kola and straightened up on the throne.

"Yeah, what is it?" he asked, looking down at the Koopa and fixing him with a contemptuous expression.

"It's Luigi, sir!" the Koopa announced, his blue eyes flickering around the room with agitation.

Boom Boom leaned back on the throne and sighed. Luigi...now who was that again? He ran the name through his memory. It took a while, since Boom Boom typically never bothered to remember anything. Yes...that was who he was...Mario's brother! He'd never seemed quite as strong as Mario himself, although it wasn't like that mattered because he'd always completely destroyed him in a fight regardless. Wasn't he a defeated wreck, wandering around the town like a hobo? Yeah, that was right! He'd never gotten around to reporting him to High Command even though, as the younger Mario brother, he'd probably be at the top of the most wanted list if they knew he was alive. It didn't really matter. Keeping Luigi alive but under his thumb was a sign of his own superiority over his foe. "What about him?" he replied arrogantly. "Luigi might as well be dead. My mother's more of a threat to the Empire then he is."

"T...that's not exactly true, captain." the Koopa responded nervously. "Me and my pals...we were beating up this punk who got too close to the castle...you know, general procedure and all that, and then he...he beat us all! We never even stood a chance! I don't even think the fight lasted half a minute!"

"Captain, this is serious business!" came a voice from beside the throne.

Boom Boom turned to gaze at the speaker; it was Lieutenant Blueshell, a Boomerang Bro and his right-hand man. Blueshell was not exactly Boom Boom's favourite Koopa. He was the kind of person who actually wanted to get things done instead of putting it off for tomorrow, and, as such, was usually a party pooper. Boom Boom sighed audibly; Blueshell had been wanting to report Luigi's existence to the Mushroom City administration for ages, as if he didn't know all the paperwork that would result in. Blueshell had not been eating fast food like the rest of the minions gathered in the throne room. Rather, he fixed Boom Boom was a stern expression in his blue eyes.

"We can't ignore this." Blueshell said seriously. "This is one of the Mario brother's we're talking about. This needs to go straight up to the Governor...no, right up to Prince Bowser Jr. We're going to need to send in elite units to take this guy out...tanks, battleships, Banzai Bills...all of it. If we underestimate this guy we're going to be in more trouble then we can drag ourselves out of."

Boom Boom scoffed. As if the Governor would be able to help! He'd never even fought the Mario Brothers before! As for Bowser Jr...the prince was probably busy. He was all the way in the Koopa Kingdom, doing ruler stuff. Besides, he already had enough glory. It was time for a real champion to shine. "We can deal with it ourselves." he said casually, sipping some more of his Koopa-Kola. "Haven't you heard the stories? I've beat em' before and I can beat em' again."

Blueshell turned away. "If you're so good, we should have ruled the Mushroom Kingdom years earlier." he spoke cynically. "I'll tell you one thing...I'm not sticking around to get my head stomped." he left, not even bothering to salute his captain as he exited the room. Boom Boom glared at him for a bit, before waving his meaty orange hand to dismiss the still-trembling Koopa who was in front of him. Then he lazily reached for the table next to him and grabbed one of the many still-hot burgers that were lying there. He'd deal with Luigi later. As usual, today was his off day.


	5. Luigi and Cobal

_Thanks to ViolaHarmony, dAdamant1, StarPierce, and an unnamed guest for the reviews. Just so that anybody who's interested knows, this story is going to be very long (100,000+ words) but will be updated at a very fast pace (I'm hoping multiple new chapters every week). Hope you stay along for the ride._

 **Chapter Five: Luigi and Cobal**

A few minutes after his conversation with the spirited young Yoshi, Luigi was sitting on the comfortable red couch, his gloved hands clasped around a warm teacup of delicious, freshly-brewed Koopa Tea. Cobal sat next to him, drinking a cup of tea as well. Even though he hadn't seemed much into the idea of tea when he'd first entered the house, he seemed to be quite enjoying the cup Luigi had given him; it was good to know his private variation on the classic blend hadn't worsened with time.

The two had been in the middle of a discussion regarding the Koopa Empire garrison at Peach's Castle. Luigi was quite confident they wouldn't be much of a problem. If the most powerful person there was Boom Boom of all people, this would be a piece of cake. He was still worried about the possibility of dealing with Koopa Empire reinforcements, but he was planning on tackling the problem one step at a time. By the time Cobal had finished giving his estimates on how many weapons the Koopas possessed (spying on the garrison seemed to be a favourite hobby of his), Luigi was feeling more and more confidant. This was nothing; just the typical bunch of troops Bowser usually had positioned in the grasslands. Anyone with the simplest bit of fighting skills could take them on. The question was, however...how was Cobal going to factor into all of this? He'd set the plans for the re-taking of Toad Town into motion (regardless of if that was a good idea or not), but what was next for him.

"What do you want to do, Cobal?" Luigi asked, putting down his tea. Cobal took a long sip, clearly savouring the hot, cleansing effect Luigi's tea had. Then he look at Luigi, his eyes inflamed with passion.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Cobal asked, clenching one of his blue fists. "I want to fight! I want to be able to do the same thing you did to those goons back in town. If you were even half as good as Mario was, Luigi, I gotta learn how it's done."

"I see." Luigi nodded. He'd been expecting something of the sort. Cobal didn't seem to be the sort of guy who'd watch on the sidelines. "Well..." he said, standing up and scratching his head awkwardly, "I suppose I know a thing or two..."

"I only need the basics." Cobal reassured him. "Since I'm a Yoshi, I'm gonna fight a bit differently then you probably would...with my flutter jump, and my tongue, and all that."

Luigi nodded. He appreciated Cobal's passion, even though he clearly had no idea what he was planning on getting into. This wasn't going to be a simple romp to Bowser's Castle to save the princess. Freeing Toad Town would only be the start of something much, much bigger. Even Luigi, who was still completely ignorant of the exact level of power and control the Koopa Empire had, knew that this was going be won with one fight. Still...he had to admit he could be inspiring, especially to the opressed Mushroom Kingdom people of his age. Come to think of it...he himself would probably be quite inspiring, too. "I have to stop comparing myself to Mario." Luigi silently urged himself. "People are going to remember everything that I've done once I show up. They're not still going to forget me." Glancing up at Cobal, gestured to him to come forward before moving in the direction of the front door. "All right, Cobal." he said. "I'll teach you a thing or two."

"All right!" Cobal smirked, moving to follow Luigi out the door.

Luigi led Cobal around the house to the backyard. The backyard of the Mario brothers' house had been neatly mowed that morning, and still smelled of freshly-cut grass. Next to the house there was a small garden, with a little plot of Fire Flowers growing (just a small one, since a bigger one might end up attracting unwanted attention if a patrol ever happened to inspect his home), along with some very fine daisies. Luigi had planted the pretty white flowers almost fifteen years ago to remind him of somebody he'd left behind, and they'd only grown in quantity since then. Every time Luigi looked at the garden, which was neat and orderly, just the way he liked it, he found himself reminded of the lovely Princess Daisy. What was she doing right now, he often wondered? Was she a prisoner? Was she...dead? Luigi didn't like to think about that possibility. "Hey, if I'm gonna go out and do stuff now, maybe I can check up on her eventually!" he thought to himself as he glanced at the gardens while walking into the yard's centre. It was a kind of frightening thought. What if she was dead? He'd never forgive himself...but enough of that. There was no use dwelling on the past anymore, no matter how much he wanted to. He needed to live in the now, for the people of the Mushroom Kingdom's sake.

"So how do you do this?" Cobal asked, as the two faced each other under the bright blue Mushroom Kingdom sky. "Do you just...jump?"

"That's only the start of it." Luigi responded. He thought back to his early days in the sewers of New Donk City. For some reason, the architects had thought it a great idea to create lots of gaping chasms in the sewers and place a lot of pipes in impossibly high places. Money had been tight for the two brothers at the time, and it was difficult enough finding a job in crowded city. Therefore, it was a simple situation; either find a way to plug those pipes, or go to bed hungry. That's where the brothers had first mastered their jump. It had been the only thing that he'd ever been able to do better then his brother, he reflected with some satisfaction. "Cobal...when you jump, you really have to put a lot of effort into it." he leaned down slowly. It felt kind of awkward; doing a super-jump came so naturally to him now breaking it into the basics just came across as sort of weird. He saw Cobal slowly getting into the same position. "Focus all your energy and all of your muscle power into your legs." he instructed. "Then let go suddenly, kinda like when you stretch a string really tightly and then let go if it. Like this!" he leaped several feet into the air, so that he could clearly see the red roof of his house. "I really have to get rid of that moss." he reflected to himself in the split second he was airborne, before falling back to the ground and landing safely on his legs. Cobal leaped up, following his example, but only managed to reach half of Luigi's height. He did, however, managing to get a bit higher by rapidly fluttering his legs. It only kept him in the air for a few more seconds, though.

"How did I do?" Cobal asked, panting. Luigi could see he didn't have much experience flutter-jumping.

"Pretty good!" Luigi complemented warmly, clapping his hands. "You got the technique down. I'm sure that, with practice, you'll be jumping around like me and my bro did in no time!"

"T...thanks!" Cobal replied, looking slightly embarrassed as Luigi approached him and shook his hand to congradulate him.

"Besides," he commented, gazing down at Cobal's running shoes, which were white with an orange stripe, "Remember what you said about finding your own style?"

"Yeah." Cobal nodded, looking away from Luigi and flicking his tongue in and out experimentally. "I've used this to steal food every now and then...when times got really rough for me and Toadbert, I guess. Plus, if I swallow something and I concentrate really hard, I can lay an egg with it inside it. Don't ask me how that works."

"I don't want to know!" Luigi shuddered, remembering all those times his old pal, the green-colored Yoshi (who simply went by his species name, for reasons he'd never understood), had slurped up terrified Shy Guys and hurled them in egg form at their fleeing allies. While the Yoshis at a species were generally kind, nature-loving folks, there was something inheritly terrifying about them that he'd never bothered to dwell on too much. It was probably a good thing that they were friends rather than enemies. "Hey, Cobal." Luigi remembered, snapping out of his thoughts. "There's something really important I have to tell you about fighting."

"What?" Cobal asked.

"You can't just jump around and throw eggs, or whatever." he said, thinking back to his years of experience. "You have to use strategy. That was Mario's problem in the beginning...sometimes he'd even jump on spiky enemies 'cause he got so caught up in stomping head after head."

"What...really? Mario did that?" Cobal gasped, his eyes wide. "That's crazy. I mean...he's a legend. Anybody could tell that unless your feet are hard as rock, that spike is gonna hurt."

"Even he started somewhere, Cobal." Luigi nodded, somewhat wistfully. "Don't be afraid to add in a couple extra punches and kicks along the way." he added as the thought came to him. He'd never been able to hit as hard physically as his brother, but he couldn't count the number of times a well-placed punch had knocked back a fierce Goomba charging right at him. "And...make sure to take note of your enemy's speed. Agility-" he broke off. Cobal was looking a bit unfocused, glancing into the forest the surrounded the yard or back at the house.

"That's an awful thought to remember." he commented. "Can't we just stick to basics for now?"

"Yeah, sure. No worries." Luigi replied. This was his first time teaching somebody; he had to remind himself to go slowly. "Hey, want me to make some lemonade?" he asked, feeling the sun beat down warmly upon his skin. "If we're going to keep on training, we're going to get pretty hot."

"Wouldn't mind some." Cobal replied, stretching his arms. Luigi could tell he was just aching to train more.

"All right, then." Luigi nodded. "I'll be back in just a few minutes!" he smiled at Cobal before heading to the side of the house. Before he could disappear from sight, however, Cobal stopped him.

"Hey, Luigi." he said.

"What?" Luigi asked, walking back a few steps.

"What kind of a guy was the Yoshi who you knew?" he asked, genuine curiosity in his usually tough-sounding voice. "Toadbert says my father really looked up to him...said he was the ideal Yoshi and the ideal friend to Mario. I wanna know who he was."

"Oh..." Luigi replied, smiling a bit. There was no way he was telling Cobal all of this now...there were enough stories about Yoshi to take up an entire day. "Me and my bro...we knew Yoshi for forever. He's actually quite a bit older then we were. He saved me when I was a baby, you know."

"Wow, he's gotta be at least sixty by now." Cobal commented, gazing up at the sky. "Just think...an entire life full of Goomba-stomping, egg-chucking action. Must have been some guy."

"Yoshi was real nice." Luigi recollected. "He really cared at Mario and I...he even forgave my bro when he dropped him into a pit to boost his jump one time. Wish he was still around..." the last time Luigi had seen Yoshi, he'd been licking up Goombas and turning them into eggs with the speed of an assembling line, chucking them at the ever-advancing line of Koopa Troop minions in a desperate last attempt to prevent Bowser's conquest. Whether he was alive or dead, things probably weren't too good for him right now.

"He sounds great." Cobal nodded, still gazing out over the clouds. "I wonder..." his voice trailed off.

"You wonder what?" Luigi asked.

"If the rumors are true." Cobal continued. "They circulate around Toad Town every once and a while...Toadbert's a real believer in them."

"What rumors?" Luigi inquired further. Cobal turned to look at Luigi.

"That the Yoshi who fought with Mario's still alive...and not only that, he's still alive and fighting." Cobal said, a grin going on his face. "The only reason he hasn't freed Toad Town is because he's taken the fight right to the heart of the monster: Koopa Central, the Koopa Empire capital."

Luigi's eyes widened. A feeling quite like the rejuvenated qualities of a 1-up Mushroom seeped through his heart. Could he dare believe it? Was this too good to be true? Either way, as Luigi walked back to his front door to make the fruit punch he'd promised, he was feeling more hopeful then he had for a long, long time.


	6. Midnight over Sarasaland

**Chapter Six: Midnight over Sarasaland**

Luigi's training sessions went on for two more hours, before the two finally decided to retire. By then, in was getting late. Luigi offered Cobal a place to sleep for the night, since Cobal had informed him Toadbert was working late. As Luigi tucked his green blankets around him and shut off his mushroom-shaped nightlight, he could scarcely believe the days events. In a few short hours, he suddenly decided to make a move to return the kingdom's freedom, as well as train some impulsive young Yoshi? He was moving much faster then he was accustomed to! Oh well...he knew what he was doing was right. He hadn't felt this good in years...especially because of that light glimmer of hope Cobal had given him. Was it possible that somewhere, far away from Toad Town, Yoshi was giving it his all, fighting a dreadful, near-hopeless battle against the Koopa Empire in it's entirety? If that was the case, Luigi would find he. He swore it on his brother's grave.

While Luigi and Cobal were enjoying a relaxing sleep in Luigi's home, a very different sort of person was out on a midnight stroll. Gregory Goldenshell, age fifty-nine, was going about his traditional walk around the town that lay in the centre of the area of Sarasaland's countryside which was referred to as "Daisy Hills" by most of the populace, even now when Daisy hadn't effectively held power over the kingdom in ages. Not like that really mattered to Gregory; he was an odd case. While a member of the Koopa Troopa species, he had never visited the Koopa Kingdom before. His family had been citizens of Sarasaland for generations, and, while he was far from rebellious, he had no real loyalty towards the Koopa Empire or devotion to it's monarch. The thing was, unlike for the less-fortunate races of the Mushroom World, his life hadn't changed much. It was difficult to verify whether a Koopa was a loyal member of the Empire or simply a member of the species unless if there happened to be a Magikoopa around. Because of this, every time the troops rolled into town, nobody gave Gregory a tough time. For all they knew, he recited the Koopa Empire's national anthem every night before he went to bed. It wasn't like life in Sarasaland was all that tough anyways-it was under the control of Morton Koopa Jr, for goodness sake. Even the propaganda-laden news channels of the Empire had failed, despite how hard they tried, to conceal the fact that Morton was not only unintelligent, but had no real aspirations to power.

Gregory's life was simple; work his shell of in the day, and appreciate the beauty of Daisy Hills Village's antique architecture in the night. He loved to be out when no one else was around and the only light came from the moon above and the white streetlamps that shone down on the cobblestone streets around him. Gregory strode across the empty street, his boots making an echoing sounds through the silent town square. Oddly enough, he could hear a faint sound somewhere in the distance, which he certainly had never heard before on his nightly walks. He dismissed it, though, since it wasn't near loud enough to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere. Gregory made his way to a bench and sat down, gazing at the tall, marble statue of a long-dead king which rose up in the town's centre. The full moon was shining down upon the statue and Gregory found himself reflecting, as he had so many times before, on the town's rich history. It wasn't often that a town in Sarasaland had a monument to a forgotten ruler like this one...he really was living in a window to the past. Gregory closed his eyes, listening to the soft rusting of the leaves around the town and the creak of the windmills that surrounded it. He let the soft, peaceful noises relax him so that he could think more freely. The only problem was, of course...he couldn't hear any of those sounds over that new sound which was getting louder and louder by the second!

"All right, what's this racket?" Gregory growled, opening his eyes and standing up. The noise was coming from the air, so he scanned the dark, star-lit sky for it's source. What he saw made him step back in shock and horror. There, well-lit by a multitude of lights, was a terrifying sight. It was a fleet of Koopa Empire battleships, armed to the teeth. These were not the airships of the past years, which had subjugated Sarasaland and the rest of the world twenty years ago. This was the new and improved model, the Airship Mk II. It was more then four times the size of the previous model...around as large as that cruise liner Princess Daisy had owned some years back. The warships still had the basic appearance of a airborne sea-fairing ship, although they no longer had propellers, likely thanks to advanced engine technology. While they were still made of wood, they had abandoned the classical three-masts design for a more modern one in which much of the deck was covered in a superstructure dotted with turrets. At the highest point of the warship, where the bridge was, there was a spiked dome that mirrored the one which commonly showed up in the Emperor's castles. This was not the first time Gregory had seen these battleships, of course. He'd often seen them whenever he'd headed over to the Sarasaland capital city, since that was Prince Morton's centre of power. The main difference in these ships, however, was in the decorations. They were lacking the massive figurehead of Prince Morton's head, and the spiked dome, rather then being brown, was instead a dark purple. The figurehead of the approaching airships depicted another Koopa altogether...one with large, pink shades which reflected the moon off their black lenses.

"These are Prince Roy's ships!" Gregory realized, taking a step back. He wasn't quite sure what to do. There were at least twenty of these battleships, each one armed to the teeth! He'd always known Prince Roy had a bit of a...reputation, to say the least. He wasn't currently on good terms with his younger brother; if he was ever on good terms with any of his siblings. Was there a chance this was just a diplomatic convoy passing over them on their trip to the capital? Or-

There was an almighty noise as dozens and dozens of Bill Blasters simultaneously fired. Hundreds of Bullet Bills streaked towards the town, trailing white smoke behind them. Gregory instantly forgot all about the quaint little village's historical significance. _He_ was going to be history if he didn't start running soon. As Gregory ran (now joined by a growing crowd of fellow villagers who had been woken by the sound), the Bullet Bills struck the houses, lighting up the night with orange fire. Even by the time Gregory was far away from his old home and frantically running through the woods, the sounds of the explosions still echoed through the valley, miles and miles away. It seemed, Gregory reflected as he nearly tripped over a fallen log, that even the more relaxed areas of the Empire weren't about to stay relaxed for long.


	7. Luigi's Return

_Apologies for the glitch regarding Chapter Six. I'd also like to thank Mel22, TelethoASupreme, Oron C, and some unnamed readers for their reviews. I hope you keep on reading this story as I continue to write it!_

 **Chapter Seven: Luigi's Return**

Toadbert hurriedly dusted off his prized photograph of Princess Peach, placing it the centre table of his house. Pausing, he turned around to observe his dwelling place. Everything was in order. While Toadbert's house had lost more then half it's roof during the Battle of Toad Town and the entire left wall, Toadbert had had twenty years to repair it and it was now nearly as nice inside as it had been before, although it still got a bit drafty during the cold days. Like most Toad Houses, it was very small, containing only one floor, a large central room which doubled as a living room and kitchen, one tiny bedroom, and a bathroom. Toadbert had set a merrily blazing fire in the cozy brick fireplace, and neatly rearranged the pillars on his old brown leather couches. He had also recently washed his blue mushroom-shaped rug, and scrubbed down his dishes, which were decorated with the images of Mushrooms, Stars, and other objects common to the Mushroom Kingdom, which he was pleased to see were making a difference to his houses' tidy morning sunlight shone through the house' circular windows, lighting up the neat, quaint-looking living room with it's pot of freshly-picked Fire Flowers and large, proud painting of Toad Town during it's prime. This was going to be a good day.

Adjusting to life after the Koopa Kingdom's conquest had been difficult for Toadbert. Once he had been considered one of the Mushroom Kingdom's foremost scientists, second only to his legendary hero, Professor E. Gadd. He'd been so knowledgeable, he'd even been selected to accompany the princess on her ill-fated mission to time. Now, Toadbert felt he was lucky enough to still be aloud to live in Toad Town. It had only been the fact that he'd avoided the fighting which had caused him to fall under the Koopa Troop's radar, he supposed. Unfortunately, his scientific career was at an end. There was no way a known ally of the Mario brothers could get a decent job these days. Odd jobs were the only way he could get enough coins to scrape by...and even then, he couldn't do much thanks to his weak stature. At least Cobal had helped, though. He'd been caring for the Yoshi for most of his life. The blue-colored dinosaur was certainly able to do a wider variety of things then Toadbert himself was. Speaking of Cobal, where was he?

Toadbert didn't stress too much about Cobal. The Yoshi had a mind of his own; disappearing overnight was pretty normal when it came to him. He was more concerned with the morning festivities he had planned, the reason why he had went through so much trouble to tidy up his house in the first place. This wasn't an official holiday, of course, but it was a day Toadbert had always been keen to celebrate, as did his friends.

Toadbert heard a knock on his brown wooden door. "Come in!" he said in his rather high-pitched voice. The door opened, bathing the entire house in the bright warm sunlight. It was a Toad with a purple mushroom cap, who wore a smile on his face even larger then the expression most Toads wore constantly. "Toadbert!" he exclaimed joyfully. "Boy, is it good to see you!"

"Great to see you're doing well." Toadbert complimented his friend; he looked just as fit as he'd been back when they'd been in the Toad Brigade together. The purple Toad's name was Alexander T. Mushroomcap, but that was far too much of a mouthful so everybody who knew him just stuck with his far more fitting nickname: Mailtoad.

"Don't forget about me, Toadbert!" came another voice from behind Mailtoad, this one a little more serious-sounding. Toadbert saw a green-capped Toad walk in. This Toad seemed a tad bit less healthy then Mailtoad, as he was a bit on the skinny side. This toad, like Mailtoad, was cursed with an extremely long and unpleasant name (Rodriguez Moneymushroom III), so naturally they all just called him Banktoad.

"How's business been?" Toadbert asked, glancing back at him as he walked to his kitchen to prepare a cup of tea for his guests. He knew that it was pretty tough being a Toad banker in the Koopa Empire, especially if you'd had strong connections with the Princess and the Brothers.

"Unpleasant, as usual." Banktoad sighed, collapsing on one of the living room couches before the fire in exhaustion. "It seems the only way I can get work these days is outside of the law."

"Outside of the law!?" Mailtoad exclaimed in horror, from his place on the other side of the couch. "Banktoad, that's crazy!"

"It's a crazy world, Mailtoad." Banktoad shrugged. "Believe me, you haven't known crazy until you've been a banker for Wario. It'll why I'm so tired right now. I'm real glad to come down to your place and relax, Toadbert."

"By boggity!" Toadbert exclaimed from the kitchen loudly, nearly spilling the tea he was pouring out for his guests. "That fat slob is still around?"

"Yup." Banktoad nodded glumly. "And Waluigi, too. They're heading the crime rings down in Mushroom City. Neither of them have changed a bit."

"Weird." Toadbert commented as he walked across his hardwood flooring towards the living room, where he placed the two teacups on the small coffee table next to the portrait of Princess Peach. "I always thought they got themselves blown up by Bob-ombs years ago."

"Hey, everyone!" came an enthusiastic, female voice from the front door. Toadbert turned around to see a pink-capped female Toad running in, her pigtails bobbing behind her. Following her was a yellow-colored Toad, who rubbed his right eye sleepily.

"By Boggity, it's Toadette!" Toadbert exclaimed joyfully, adjusting his glasses so that he could see her better. Wow...things had turned out better then he'd expected! He hadn't seen Toadette for five years and he never really thought that she'd turn up.

"Yup, that's me, all right!" Toadette said cheerfully, skipping over to the living room. "Hey, that tea smells good! Can I have some?"

"You really think I'd say no after inviting you here?" Toadbert replied, standing up. "You must have walked halfway across the world!"

"More or less." she shrugged. "Still, it's worth it. Your house is looking even nicer then when I saw it last, Toadbert." she commented, gazing around the cozy dwelling. "It almost looks like it was still in the pre-Koopa times!"

"That's the plan, Toadette!" Toadbert replied as he opened his cubord to obtain two extra teacups.

"Hey, let's not forget about Billy over here!" Mailtoad exclaimed, walking over and giving the yellow toad a clap on the back. "Still napping your troubles away, Bill?"

Billy yawned. "Yeah..." he mumbled, before rubbing his eyes and straightening up. "But that doesn't mean I'm so lazy I'm not going to come over and visit ya'll!" continued more enthusiasticly. "Wow, you've got a cozy place here, Toadbert."

"Thanks!" Toadbert replied, feeling secretly gratified that all his meticulous cleaning was paying off in front of his friends. "How's life in Sunbeam Planes?" Toadbert knew that his friend had moved way off to the Mushroom Kingdom's coast, in the little town next to one of Peach's vacation castles that had been the subject of the incident involving Luigi opening a dimensional portal contained in a book. It seemed pretty removed from all the control the Empire exerted over it's subjects, from what he'd heard.

"Boring." Billy shrugged. "But that's all right for me, I guess!" he added sheepishly. Toadbert came back to the living room with two steaming teacups, placing them down on the table before Toadette and Billy, who had sat down. After they had taken them, he strode to a radio which was sitting on one of the side tables, and pressed a button to turn it on. There was some static, before a merry-sounding tune sung by a young woman began to play.

" _Here we go, off the rails, but you know it's time to raise our sails, it's freedom like you never knew..."_

"Jump up Super Star?" Banktoad asked, raising an eyebrow at Toadbert. "Isn't that a little too hectic for the morning?"

"I thought it would be perfect." Toadbert replied, sitting down between Mailtoad and Toadette. "A little thing to remind us of the past, you know?"

The Toads listened to the music for a bit, Toadbert's feet merrily tapping away on their own accord. When it finally finished, all the Toads clapped, even though they knew the singer couldn't here them. "Best wishes to you, Pauline, wherever you are!" Toadette called out merrily.

"Sure hope she's all right." Billy said with concern in his face. "What used to be her city is now Bowser's main capitol!"

"Koopa Central." Toadbert nodded grimly. He'd never been the place, but had seen a couple images over the news. It was a terrible-looking city, full of fortresses and factories. The living conditions had to be terrible. Toadbert had never been in regular contact with Pauline, but he still admired the singer and ex-girlfriend of Mario and sincerely hoped she'd been able to get out in time.

"Aww, don't be glum." Toadette spoke up with a cheerful smile, playfully tapping each one of them on their mushroom caps. "I'm sure she's all right. She's not the type to go looking for trouble."

"Toadbert, since you're our host, would you mind doing the honers now that we're on in the proper mood?" Banktoad asked.

"All right." Toadbert nodded humbly, standing up and adjusting his round glasses. He closed his eyes, momentarily seeing himself as a younger, happier Toad straining to catch a glimpse of his beloved ruler and her heroic groom. Then he opened them to gaze at his guests. "On this day, we commemorate the wedding of Princess Peach Toadstool and Mario." he said solemnly. "If only their happiness could have been eternal." There was a moment of silence as the Toads remembered the doomed couple, before Toadbert finally broke it. "Now, in honer of the happiness of that event, let's forget about out care and worries for one day, just like they both would have wanted us to do!" he exclaimed. "I got cake, everyone!"

"Hurray!" Billy shouted, pumping his fist into the air.

"Toadbert, you're the man!" Mailtoad exclaimed, clapping.

"Only the best when it involves the Princess and Mario." Toadbert replied humbly, walking across the floor towards the kitchen. "I'm not quite sure how good this is going to taste since I'm not exactly a cook, but..."

There was a sharp knock on the door. "Who is it?" Banktoad said sharply, nearly dropping his tea. While Toadbert felt his heartbeat increase (there was always the chance the Koopas had heard the music and considered it an act of rebellion), he wasn't too worried.

"Probably just Cobal." he assured his guests. The door swung open to confirm his suspicions.

"Quite the party you have going on here, old man." Cobal commented as he stepped into the room. "Is it that wedding anniversary again?"

"You got that right, my boy." Toadbert nodded, walking the fridge to take out the cake. "Say, Cobal, why didn't you come home last night?" It was always a fear of his that the rambunctious Yoshi would get captured by the Koopa Troop one day. They'd been known to lock up people who'd gotten too cocky before.

"Oh, yeah." Cobal smirked. "You're never going to believe this. Look who I got tangled up with." Toadbert did not want to hear some story about Cobal's fight with another rowdy youth in some alleyway. This was a time of celebration and remembrance, not brawls over rather trivial matters. He was about to tell Cobal to shut it when, to his great surprise, a very familiar figure walked in.

"By Boggity..."

Luigi stepped into the circular combined living space/kitchen that was Toadbert's surprisingly cozy home, feeling self-concise as everyone in the room gazed at him. They were all there: The Toad Brigade who had helped him and his brother throughout all of their adventures, which included the spirited Toadette and the intellectual Toadbert who had been so kind to run an information booth when they'd been trapped in Bowser's body. The yellow Toad, who Luigi remembered was named Billy, dropped his teacup, letting it shatter on the floor. "Thank the Stars!" he exclaimed joyfully. "He's really still alive, people!"

"I thought it was only a rumour!" Banktoad gasped, excitement covering his face. "But it's really true!"

"Hey, everyone." Luigi said, waving weakly. "Sorry about...well, you know." He felt pathetic, trying to atone for twenty years of uselessness with a simple word. He could already see Toadette was having none of it.

"Where where you?" she exclaimed angrily, stomping over towards her with as fierce a face as a Toad could manage. "Why didn't you help us?" she glared ferociously. "You're almost as good as Mario was! We could have freed Toad Town! We could have freed the Mushroom Kingdom! We could have tracked down the Captain and freed him from whatever dungeon the Empire's got him trapped in! But now, you just-"

"I know, I know..." Luigi replied humbling, feeling the weight of Toadettes' words crushing him like Thwomps. "I know I messed up! But I'm going to fix everything now! We're going to save the whole kingdom, and everyone the Koopa Empire's got imprisoned. Starting today..." he paused, still unsure of what he was about to do. "We're going to take back Toad Town!"

The entire room went silent, except for Cobal's chuckle. "See, I knew you'd love him, old man." the Yoshi grinned. Finally, Toadbert put the cake down and walked towards Luigi. Luigi wasn't quite sure if he was going to practically attack him like Toadette did, but instead, Toadbert firmly grasped Luigi's white-gloved hand.

"Welcome back, Luigi." he said warmly, tears springing up from underneath his glasses. "We've been waiting for you."

"Yeah, hooray for Luigi!" Billy exclaimed joyfully, leaping over the back of the couch to run towards Luigi and embrance him. Toadette gave him a small smile.

"Yeah...glad to see you've seen sense." she said, wiping away a tear in her eye.

"Wait 'till I spread the news!" Mailtoad said, practically jumping up and down in excitement. "The entire kingdom's going to band together once they here one of the Mario brothers is still alive and fighting! We're going to kick Bowser all the way to Isle Delphino!"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Luigi said quickly. "Slow down! If everyone knows, then Bowser's going to find out, and then he's going to send his whole army after us! And that's a bad thing, right?"

"You got it." Banktoad nodded. "There's a reason the Emperor has managed to keep a stable grip upon the entire planet for so long...he has hundreds of millions of soldiers and the finest weapons money can buy. It's not like the old days, Luigi, when the worst he could send was a couple hundred airships and a thousand Koopa Troopas."

"Uh huh." Luigi nodded. "That's why we're going to take it slow...one place at a time."

"That still means we're going to clear stupid old Captain Boom Boom and his cronies out of Toad Town today though, right?" Cobal asked.

"What, did you just say Boom Boom?" Luigi asked, turning around to face Cobal. He remembered the burly Koopa very well; despite being an officer of the Koopa Troop, he was stupid and one of the poorest fighters he'd even been up against. No wonder he hadn't been able to get a rank above captain despite his experience, after all this time.

"Yeah, Captain Boom Boom's been running the town since before I was born." Cobal filled Luigi in. "He was appointed the position by Prince Bowser Jr himself."

Luigi smirked; the first real show of confidence he'd had since Cobal had first given this idea to him. "Boom Boom is one of Bowser's weakest goons!" he exclaimed. "Unless he's spent all these years training, we'll have him running in no time! Toadette, you can still fight, right?"

"You bet." the toad smirked. "If anything, I'm three times as good as when you last saw me. I've had to stomp a lot of Koopas on my way to discover the location of Bowser's top-secret prison."

"Cobal, what about you?" Luigi asked. The Yoshi looked like he could handle himself, despite only having one day of training. He certainly wouldn't be good enough to fight stronger enemies, but Luigi was going to have to gamble he'd be good enough to fight the basic Koopas and Goombas.

"I was born ready." Cobal grinned. "With those new tricks you taught me, I could take on five at a time!"

"Yeah...maybe you ought to play it safe." Luigi cautioned.

The group made their way outside of Toadbert's house, the cake and tea forgotten amidst all this excitement. Toadbert's home was in a residential side street of Toad Town, and several the nearby houses were partially-collapsed and overgrown by ivy. The ones that were still lived in had been crudely repaired, with mis-matched planks of wood nailed over holes made from the Bob-ombs or Bullet bills. The repairing certainly wasn't perfect and Luigi couldn't help but to be glad he still had a solid roof over his head. Maybe he ought to take in some over the worse-off Toads and give them a decent place to stay while their houses were given a much more thorough repair job. That was a question for after the Koopa Troop was driven out though, of course.

"So what are we doing?" Billy asked as the group walked into the Town Square. The fountain in the centre of the light brown cobblestone pavement, had "modified" in a way which was most offensive to the Mushroom people. The elegant statue of Peach which had topped the now-dry fountain had been torn down and replaced with a fearsome statue of Bowser, roaring and holding up his fist in a victorious pose. Luigi walked past it and gazed directly at Peach's Castle and glared defiantly at the black Bowser flag, which was flapping in the wind. "Are we just going to waltz into the castle and beat everyone up?"

"That sounds like something Mario would do." Toadette commented nostalgically, joining Luigi in gazing at the occupied castle.

"I don't know, everyone." Luigi said nervously, gazing around at the people around him. "Shouldn't we, like...scout it out first? Make sure they don't have any secret weapons?"

"What's all this about scouting out the castle?" came a loud voice over from the bar. A brown-cap Toad walked, with a self-important air about himself that made Luigi realize that this Toad would not rest until he knew the details.

"Yeah, tell me about it!" a pink-capped Toad called from the side of the road, where he'd been admiring some flowers that he sprung up.

"What's going on?" a female, green-caped Toad exclaimed, peeking out of the door of her house.

"It's a rebellion, everyone!" Mailtoad exclaimed, causing Luigi to face-palm. So much for scouting things out... "We're going to make those Koopas pay!"

"Come on, guys and gals!" Billy exclaimed. "Let's make a mob!"

"Quiet down, quiet down!" Luigi shouted, his panic mountain. This was not good...the Koopas were going to find out about them and they'd lose the advantage of surprise! But there was nothing he could do to stop the growing crowd of toads which were coming from every street and every dilapidated house, filling the town square with rainbow of different-coloured caps. "Stop it! Do you want to be hurt by the Koopas?" he desperately tried to shout above the crowd of delightfully screaming Toads, who were celebrating with so much gusto, they might as well have been enjoying the Star Festival.

"Don't sweat it." Cobal grinned, crossing his arms. "It's a hopeless cause."

Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd. Luigi scratched his head in confusion. Had they actually managed to hear his voice over all that chaos?

"Oh no..." he heard Billy gasp from somewhere behind him. Luigi turned around to look in the direction of the castle. There, walking down the path towards him, was none other then Boom Boom himself...followed by what had to be over one hundred minions.

"Sorry to break up your party, boys...but I think you little mushroomheads have forgotten who calls the shots around here..."


	8. Retake Toad Town!

**Chapter 8: Retake Toad Town!**

Luigi stood, gazing out at the large group of enemies assembled before him in the shadow of Peach's Castle. There were around one hundred Koopa Troop members, all glaring fiercely at the assembly of Toads in the town square, plus Luigi and Cobal. In the very front of the opposing group was a person Luigi had not seen for a long, long time: Boom Boom. The burly Koopa looked exactly how Luigi remembered him...although perhaps he'd gained a bit of weight. Boom Boom's round face had a look of extreme annoyance plastered all over it as he crossed his muscular arms and glared heavily in Luigi's direction.

"All right, enough of this racket." he grumbled at Luigi. "I dunno what your doing, but somehow I don't think Emperor Bowser would approve of it. Look, you're even defacing his statue!"

Mailtoad, who was holding the pickaxe sometimes carried by Banktoad and preparing to bring it down upon the stone statue, dropped it and looked around awkwardly.

"You know, I was really looking forward to having a nice long bath today." Boom Boom continued complaining, pacing back and forth before his forces. "But then you bunch of nitwits had to come along and ruin it! Just make it easy for us and go back to your homes, okay?"

The Toads mumbled among themselves. While in Luigi's eyes the opposing side was composed of standered-level goons, none of which seemed to pose a huge threat, he'd forgotten how terrifying the Koopa forces must seem to the ordinary people of Toad Town. "This is my chance!" Luigi thought to himself as he stared at the burly, domineering figure of Boom Boom. "I need to be a strong leader...just like my bro was! Then I can get the people of Mushroom City to believe in me, and in themselves, too!"

The younger brother took a deep breath and took a few steps forward, never breaking eye contact with Boom Boom. The large Koopa raised his eyebrow as Luigi as the moustached man fixed his face into a defiant stare. He forced himself to banish all of his fears and unconfidence. This was nothing. He could have taken twice this number back in his day even without Mario's help.

"Boom Boom, we're-a tired of living under your fist!" Luigi cried, his accented voice ringing throughout the town square. "This is the capital of the Mushroom Kingdom, not your playground, and these people don't deserve to be pushed around by you and your thugs!"

Luigi thought he detected a flicker of unease of Boom Boom's lazy, overconfident face, but the muscular Koopa tried not to show it. "Mushroom Kingdom?" he snorted defiantly. "Please. The Mushroom Kingdom died ages ago. Now it's just a part of Sector 8 of the Koopa Empire."

"Oh yeah?" Luigi asked, stretching out his arms to relax his muscles. He hadn't done anything this crazy since the last time he and his bro had gone through Bowser's Castle...but there was no time to be cautious now, no matter how much he wanted to. "We'll see about that!" he cried, thrusting his fist in the direction of Boom Boom. "It's- go time!"

Then, throwing away his insecurities as if he was simply casting off his own cap, Luigi rushed towards Boom Boom. His feet glided over the brown cobblestone pavement, barely touching the ground as he approached his enemy. Boom Boom's eyes widened and his face dissolved completely into shock. In panic, he swung his meaty fist at Luigi, but without even needing to think, Luigi slid underneath it before leaping up and punching the muscular Koopa right in the face. Boom Boom groaned in pain and took a few steps back.

"Restrain the rebels!" a blue-coloured Boomerang Bro ordered quickly. Boom Boom shook himself, before charging at Luigi. With a wild yell, the minions behind him rushed forward. Luigi braced himself. Boom Boom's fist was coming closer...closer...Luigi leaped over it, right onto Boom Boom's head. He vaulted off it as the burly Koopa cried out, landing on top of a Koopa. With a mighty kick, Luigi sent the shell rocketing through the ranks, toppling Koopas and Goombas like dominoes. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a Hammer Bro coming up behind him. Expertly, he swung around, catching the the Koopa in the jaw and sending him hurtling back.

"Is it just me, or are these guys weaker then I remember them?" Luigi thought as he leaped into the air again, bouncing off a Goomba and ducking mid-air to avoid a hammer hurled by another Hammer Bro. "They must not get so much practive way out here!" he came down on a Shy Guy, smashing the robed minion to the ground, before spinning around and punching a green-shelled Koopa in the face. Minions were surging around him, and he heard the angry roar of Boom Boom approaching...but surprisingly, Luigi wasn't worried in the slightest. He had this covered. There was no way he _couldn't_ do this! "Thank you, Mario!" he thought to himself, a smile growing on his face as he leaped onto a Goomba, remembering the happy-go lucky confidence his brother had when fighting his foes. It was as if his brother's spirit was guiding his steps, helping him drive out the invaders just as he himself would have done.

Cobal watched in a sense of stunned awe and amazement as Luigi cut through the ranks of Boom-Boom's garrison as if they were little more then blades of grass. To think that that depressed-looking human in green he'd always ignored could turn out to be such a legendary warrior...and Mario's brother, no less. It really was weird how life worked, wasn't it? There was, however, no time to simply muse on the subject. Nearly half of the Koopa Troop squad was charging into the square towards them...and Luigi was already preoccupied. The Toads screamed as the Koopas poured in, many of them pushing and shoving each other in an attempt to get as far away from the enemy as possible.

"Come on, Cobal!" he hissed to himself. "This is no time to chicken out! You're going to do what you've always dreamed of doing, remember?" gritting his teeth, Cobal charged towards the approaching minions. He was aware of the Toads watching him, wide-eyed, no doubt surprised to see someone other then Luigi putting up resistance. Cobal had always been the kind of guy who acted on impulse. He'd never really thought things through...hence the trouble he'd gotten into with the henchmen near the castle. It took every inch of will he had not to simply swing a sloppy punch at the blue-robed Shy Guy closest to him. Instead, he forced himself to jump, rapidly calling to mind the techniques Luigi had taught him. He focused all of his power into his legs...and leapt to the astonishment of his foe. A second later, Cobal came down upon him, knocking the masked minion out old.

Cobal bounced off the Shy Guy's head, leaping onto a Koopa before leaping off the downed reptile onto the head of a Goomba. It was amazing how easy this was...did the Koopa Troops just suck, or were the Mario Brothers just _that good?_ Mid-air, he saw a muscular Sledge Bro aim one of his mallets at him and hurl it with all his strength. That didn't look very good...one hit of those things and he'd be out cold. It was spinning right towards him, on a collision course with his head...Cobal opened his mouth and extended his super-long tongue. He felt an uncomfortable sensation as the heavy weapon went down his throat, only to come out as a blue-spotted egg. Taking advantage of his momentum, Cobal drove himself into a fall, aiming his fist as the Sledge Bro's face before he could throw another hammer. There was a crash as his hand hit the Koopa's yellow, scaly face, knocking him back several feet and causing him to collapse on an unlikely duo of Goombas. Whirrling around, Cobal hurled the Egg at a Paragoomba who looked like he was getting ready to go into a divebomb. Pausing momentarily, Cobal looked at his hand. He'd never thrown an egg before...how was it that he was so good? Was being a crack shot just built into a Yoshi's DNA or something?

"Hey, loser!" came a familiar voice. Cobal spun around. He was un-suprised to see the duo of Koopas and their Chargin' Chuck friend who had attacked him yesterday, grinning at him with greedy expressions.

"You don't make fun of us' Koopas, you dino punk!" the Koopa on the left giggled. He cracked his knuckles. "We're gonna make you pay for making us look bad in front of our pals!"

"Yeah!" the Chargin' Chuck agreed. "While green stache' is up there getting wrecked by Captain Boom Boom, we're going to smash you into bits!"

"Really." Cobal smirked, sizing them up. He'd been caught off guard last time...and besides, now he had Luigi's training, even though he'd only had a day of it so hadn't had much time to practice. "I'd like to see you try!" he shouted, extending his tongue and slurping up the Koopa who had spoken. The Koopa gave a yelp of horror and retreated into his shell to protect himself. Without wasting any time, Cobal spit the shell back out, right at the Chargin' Chuck's head. It hit dead-centre. The large Koopa fell down hard and lay motionless. With a scream, the remaining Koopa turned and bolted.

"Come on, everyone!" came the determined voice of the pink-capped female Toad who seemed to be friends with Toadbert. "We can't let them think we're afraid of them! CHARGE!"

There was a wild chorus of multiple high-pitched screams so loud it nearly destroyed Cobal's eardrums as the Toads surged forward. While they had no fighting skill whatsoever, the huge mass of mushroom people worked as a battering ram, crashing into the foremost Koopas and knocking them over.

"All right!" Cobal shouted as he leaped back into the air, slurping up a Goomba and transforming him into an egg to hurl directly at a Hammer Bro. "Let's get this party started!"

Luigi spun around and kicked a Goomba in the face as he would a soccer ball. The Goomba went soaring through the air until he crashed into the side of a Toad House, completely conciseness. All of Toad Town was alive with noise as the Toads and Koopas battled it out in the Town Square. He glimpsed Cobal leap onto a red-shelled Koopa, knocking it down before kicking it's shell at a gang of Shy Guys. His form was quite good, Luigi reflected-not perfect, certainly, but still quite impressive. He estimated roughly that more then half of the Koopas had been defeated by now.

"Hey, don't you forget about me yet, you showoff!" Luigi heard a rough-sounding voice coming for him. Boom Boom, his face bruised, ran towards Luigi at full speed, smacking an unlucky Koopa Troopa away from him. He went into a spin, whirling towards Luigi like a massive top and churning dust up from the ground like a cloud around him. "Eat this, you moron!" he yelled as his body spun rappidly around in circles, coming towards Luigi with every once of speed in his body.

"This is all I need to finish this!" Luigi thought to himself, watching the yellow blur of motion rocket towards him. "Beat Boom Boom, and his minions will start to freak out! We're going to do this!" Luigi leaped into the air as Boom Boom came towards him, his arms slicing the air like propellors. He angled his fall precisely towards the centre of the blur. It was a perfect hit. Luigi's heavy worker's boots smashed into Boom Boom's head, causing him to stop spinning immediately. The burly Koopa groaned disorinentedly...before falling with a crash that likely damaged the bricks underneath. Luigi landed lightly beside him.

"Boom Boom's down!" a Goomba exclaimed, panic-stricken.

"Things ain't looking good, boys." A green Paratroopa remarked cynically, crossing his arms as he observed the battlefield. An egg whizzed through the air, catching him in the chest as knocking him out of the sky.

"Yeah, you're right about one thing, buddy." Cobal remarked as he flutter-jumped over, kicking a Shy Guy down as he landed. "Things sure aren't looking good for you."

The angry sounds of the Toads grew louder as the stormed up the road, chasing the remaining Koopa troops, who ran in front of them with frightened expressions. "Tie em' up, everybody!" Mailtoad exclaimed joyfully. "We've had enough of this empire!"

Luigi paused to catch his breath, as the Toads pushed past him, continuing there pursuit. When they had gone, he looked around the town. Any member of Bowser's army that he could see was either knocked out or restrained in some way. "Did we really just do it?" he remarked in wonder, thinking back to all those years he'd left the Town in Koopa oppression. He'd been so caught up in his brother's death and the completeness of the Mushroom Kingdom's defeat that he'd never really stopped to consider how easy it might be to defeat the garrison at Toad Town. As the sounds of the shouting Toads faded back until they weren't so overwhelming, Luigi stood alone in the centre of the road, staring at the Bowser statue which still stood in the Town Square...although likely for not much longer.

A smile slowly formed on his face. Yes...he'd just remembered what day it was. If his brother had still been alive, this would be his anniversary. "Mario." he said aloud, closing his watery eyes. "I hope...I hope you're proud of your little bro." turned around to look at the castle. Despite the Koopa Empire flags, the Koopa forces had never gotten around to removing the stained-glass window of Princess Peach. The sun was shining down upon it, making it sparkle. There was not even the slightest breeze, leaving the black flags lifeless, unable to display the face of the Emperor. The sight seemed almost like a sign to Luigi. Maybe...just maybe...things would work out, after all.

Kicking away the rotten fence of a long-abandoned Toad House, Captain Blueshell, his mind full of nothing but curses wished upon the incompetent Boom Boom, stumbled out of the Toad Town grounds. Pausing a minute to catch his breath, he continued running, aiming to put as much distance between the town and him as possible. He could still hear those accursed Toads making a racket. As he continued running through the bright green grass of the Mushroom plains, he scowled, wishing with all his heart that he could fix his past mistakes. He should have defied orders and reported Luigi's existence _years_ ago. If he'd done that, the ex-plumber would be locked up in the Emperor's Shell Penitentiary and would eventually be forgotten by all the people just like the rest of Mario's allies. He'd been a fool...but he'd had enough of that. The nearest town was Koopa Village; he'd be able to get transport there which would take him to Mushroom City. Then (since the slackers at Peach's Castle probably wouldn't have the sense to call for help, especially with their captain down), he'd inform the Mushroom Kingdom's governor, General Flame, about the problem. Luigi and anybody who was foolish enough to stand by him were going to have the full might of the Koopa Empire descend upon them...and that would bring a much-needed end to the legacy of the Mario Bros.

"You're going to regret this, Luigi." Blueshell thought to himself as he continued to run further and further from the town. "Mark my words! The Koopa Empire will not be mocked like this!"


	9. Meanwhile, at Bowser's Castle

**Chapter Nine: Meanwhile, at Bowser's Castle...**

 _Special thanks to Everets, TwinTerrorStorm, Evangel32, and Oderus for reviewing. I know I said I'd publish new chapters "multiple times every week" earlier, so I apologize for the wait (I've been worn out thanks to school). No worries though, I'll try my best to deliver new chapters as fast as possible._

A hot wind blew throughout the barren, volcanic regions of the Koopa Kingdom, a burning wind which flew past the fiery peaks of the volcanoes and the massive battleships, endlessly patrolling the skies for trespassers, and down over the enormous lakes of lava until it reached the settlement known as Flame City. Flame City was a product of the modern age...something which never could have happened in the days where Mario and Bowser fought almost daily. It was a beautiful, quaint city, it's streets made of cobblestone and the roofs' of it's houses covered in colored tiles. Canals of lava ran next to the city streets, the citizens of the town crossing them over bridges decorated with images of the Koopa Emperor. They severed no defensive purpose at all...they simply helped create Flame City's unique aesthetic. It was a city for those honoured by the Koopa Empire...the families of war veterans, the prized soldiers of the army, and others who had given their livelihood to the Empire. Overlooking the city, perched on a hill of brown volcanic rock, was Bowser's Castle, looking the same as it had for decades, with it's green-roofed towers, spiked dome, and entrance in the shape of Bowser's head. Only it wasn't _technically_ Bowser's Castle anymore, since the Koopa Emperor had long since moved his place of residence to the new Koopa Empire capitol of Koopa Central. The Koopa who owned the castle, however, still bore the name of Bowser...even if it was a generation down.

Crown Prince Bowser Koopa Jr was feeling rather glum. He sat on the spiked throne of the castle overlooking the throne room, drumming his claws on the armrest. The throne room hadn't changed a bit since Mario had last set foot inside. It was still lit by tall, gothic windows and golden chandeliers, and decorated with a massive rug depicting the Koopa Troop's emblem. Behind the throne was a massive stone statue of Bowser, rising up to the ceiling to show just how powerful the King of the Koopas was. There was even the wooden bridge which spanned the channel of lava that separated the room in two...the bridge which Mario had destroyed so many times, Junior had often wondered why his father hadn't just invested in a sturdier material. It wasn't like that really mattered, though, he reflected, since they'd come out on top in the end.

While the castle was more or less the same, Prince Junior himself had changed significantly. The Koopa Prince was very clearly no longer a child. In fact, he looked nearly identical to his father now. The only differences were that he had slightly less hair on his head, which was still done up in his signature ponytail, and that he wore a metal breastplate with the image of his jaws on it, as a sort of homage to the bandana he'd worn as a kid. Bowser Jr overlooked the room with his shining scarlet eyes, glancing at the military officers who were gathered there before him on the black-and-white checkered floor. The sun was setting, and the orange light shone through the windows, casting shadows on the ground. He adjusted himself on his throne so that he sat up straighter. This was the same throne his father had ruled the Koopa Kingdom from, although these days that meant less. Bowser's Castle was the main seat of power in Sector 8, the sector of the Mushroom World which consisted of the Koopa Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom, and Beanbean Kingdom. It was a mark of his dad's favouritism that Junior had been allowed to rule it.

"Dad..." Bowser Jr reflected as he waited for one of the officers to say something. "What are you thinking right now?" He hadn't heard from his father in nearly a year. True, governing the entire world was a lot of work, but it was still something to worry about. Emperor Bowser's condition seemed to be getting worse and worse every year. "It's all because of Mama Peach." he thought to himself, still using the childish nickname out of habit. "Why is it that we control the entire world and have an entire elite division dedicated to finding her, and we still don't have a clue where she is?" Bowser Jr still had trouble wrapping his head around the fact that he hadn't seen the princess for twenty years. It was as if she was dead...in fact, he'd long realized, she probably was. It was strange, having somebody take up so much of your life and then disappear like that...if only he'd known that the last time he'd kidnapped her would also be the last time he'd see her! "Wish I had time to help everyone track her down." he mused, tightening his hand into a fist. "Somehow, though, I don't think I'm going to get much of that anytime soon."

One of the officers approached the raised platform where Bowser Jr sat, and kneeled. He was a Koopatrol, made distinct from the other Koopatrols in the army by the orange emblem of Bowser Jr which was on his helmet's forehead. The Koopatrol's name was General Spiker, and he was the highest-ranked officer in Bowser Jr's private army, being one of the twenty generals who made up Koopa High Command. "Prince Bowser Jr." Spiker said submissively. "I have news of the incident in District 2."

"I see." Bowser Jr replied, closing his eyes. District 2...that was Morton's district. He'd heard the rumours circulating among the troops...that there had been an emergency dispatch to all corners of Sarasaland and that all of Morton's troops were on high alert. He hadn't been able to seriously consider the issue until now, however. "Well, don't just stand there." he said, opening his eyes and gesturing for the general to continue speaking. "What's the story? Is it a rebellion? Like that Fire Flower group or something?"

"If it is Fire Flower, they've become craftier." Spiker replied seriously, still kneeling before the throne. "We have photographic evidence to confirm that the invaders bore the emblem of Prince Roy."

"What!?" Bowser Jr exclaimed, his eyes widening. He gripped the armrest so hard he was afraid the bronze metal on them didn't shatter. He immediately knew that that this was no the work of Fire Flower. Roy Koopa...he'd always been a bully. From popping Lemmy's favourite ball to ripping apart Wendy's brand-new pearl necklace, he'd always been the sort who enjoyed causing pain. "This was a disaster waiting to happen." Jr thought grimly as he fought to keep his usually fiery temper under control. He couldn't throw tantrums like he used to, after all. "I knew he'd get tired of tormenting his subjects eventually and move on to his original victims again." But even as he thought this, Bowser Jr knew something was off. This wasn't simple playground bullying like Roy had used to do. He couldn't just waltz in and start punching people when the person he was trying to torment had an entire nation behind his or her back. Tormenting a nation would mean starting a war...and was Roy even stupid enough to risk becoming the target of not only all his other siblings, but his father as well? Wars were expensive and always carried the highest stakes. When he'd last spoken to Roy (nearly nine years ago, since the two were anything but close), his older brother had seemed satisfied with lording over the Sand Kingdom from his new capital of Neon City. Would he really risk all that for some childish bullying. "He's not alone in this!" Bowser Jr realized, his eyes narrowing into slits as he thought of the one Koopa who'd be most likely to stir up some familial drama. "Ludwig von Koopa." he hissed to himself.

"Sir?" Spiker asked in confusion. "What's Prince Ludwig got to do with this?"

Bowser Jr rose and began to pace back and forth before his throne, trying to think out the scenario. "He's behind this...he has to be." Junior mused aloud, both to himself and the Koopatrol. He tightened his fist as he realized the cruelty of the situation. "Dad...the Emperor's condition must have got him thinking about the succession again." he spoke angry, his red eyes darting around the room at the officers who were watching him. "If he isn't going to get the throne by law he's going to take it by force! I always knew he'd pull a stunt like this!" Bowser Jr quickly wracked his brain for a solution. Morton and him were rather close and their districts had always been closely aligned. To not send help would be a complete betrayal of his older brother. Knowing Roy, the enemy force would be extremely powerful...and, more often then not, Ludwig would be involved, which would mean unique tactics and advanced weaponry. Should he send his entire fleet to deal with the issue? No...that would leave District 8 open for attack. He had to play it safe here. Should he send half the fleet? Perhaps it could be enough, since it would have all of Morton's army backing it...but Bowser Jr wasn't going to be taking any gambles.

"General Spiker, I want you to put Royal Decree 58 into action, right now!" he quickly ordered, causing the Koopatrol to snap to attention with a smart salute.

"Forced conscription of all able-bodied citizens?" Spiker asked. "Even..."

"Yes." Bowser Jr growled, stepping forward, his feet shaking the floor as he descended the stairs leading down from his throne. "This isn't the old Koopa Kingdom anymore, Nathaniel Spiker. We're the international Koopa Empire. It's time we open up the doors to our military. Toads, Piantas, Yoshis, Kongs...I want them drafted just the same as the Koopas, Goombas, and the rest of em'. It'll swell our army to twice the size and allow us to bring stability to the Empire once again."

"As you wish, Prince Bowser Jr!" Spiker replied, sharply turning around and walking towards the ground of lower-ranked officers. "Kallikoop!" he shouted at one Lakitu, who was smartly dressed in a military jacket. "I want the Decree playing on every channel in the Koopa Kingdom...yes, even the cartoon ones! Not even the poorest tramp in the Neo Bowser City slums is going to miss this!" he spun around to a blue-robed Shy Guy. "James! Inform Governor Flame and Governor Maskit about our Prince's orders and see to it that they spread the news in the Mushroom and Beanbean Kingdoms. Step to it!"

"Yes, sir!" the two officers saluted. Bowser Jr turned away and walked back up to his throne. The rumble of the volcanoes sounded in the difference, although Bowser Jr barely regestured it since it was the sound that he had been hearing all his life. He turned his gaze upwards to stare at the massive, imposing statue of his father. Despite not being the oldest or even second-oldest of the Koopalings, he was his father's chosen heir. One day, he was going to rule the entire world. "I'm not going to let you down, Dad." he thought to himself, smirking despite the dark omens the evening had brought. "If you think I'm going to let your Empire crumble around you, you don't know me at all!"


	10. Mario's Wedding Anniversary

**Chapter Ten: Mario's Wedding Anniversary**

 _Sorry for the delay in this chapter's release! Thanks to everybody who reviewed the last one. Just so that everybody knows, this story's been completely planned out in it's entirety. I've read a lot of long-running fanfictions which start to lose their purpose after a while and make it seem unlikely that they'll ever be completed. I don't want that to happen to this story. It's going to have a satisfying ending, no matter how long it takes me to get to that point!_

The air in the moonlight Toad Town square was cold, but a comfortable kind of cold as opposed to an unpleasant one. Warm light from the Toad Houses spilled onto the cobblestone streets, illuminating the night. Luigi sat on the edge of the fountain, which had as of an hour ago had it's Bowser statue removed, basking in the light as he gazed around him in some sort of stunned shock. He could scarecly believe his eyes. He was in Toad Town, and, by the Star Spirits, the people looked positivly happy.

The Toads were running around the Town Square, laughing and shouting cries of jubilation. "Hey guys, we don't need this anymore!" cried a red-capped Toad gleefully, tearing a Koopa Empire banner in two.

"Who ever thought we'd under up heroes after all these years?" half-sobbed a middle-aged brown-capped Toad, who was sitting on a moss-covered piece of destroyed tank, sharing a Chuckola Cola with his green-capped friend. "Did you see what I did to that Koopa? Did yah?"

"Hey, don't go bloating your Mushroom cap like that, Toadafrey!" the green Toad chuckled. "Wish I could've got a video of my beat-down of that old Shy Guy who used to collect our taxes! That punch was twenty years in the making!"

"Jim, things are going to be real nice now, just you wait and see." said a blue-capped mother Toad with a child who looked about six or seven, walking down the street past Luigi. "You won't have to stay off the streets and keep away from the bad guys anymore! It'll be just like when I was a little girl!"

"Yippee!" the little Toad shrieked, leaping into the air with joy.

Luigi smiled as he looked up at the sky. It was a perfect canvass of stars and he could just make out the constellations of the Great Fire Flower and Starlit Bob-omb. "Feels like I've gone back in time." he reflected. "Just a couple hours of Koopa troop defeat and Toad Town finally feels like Toad Town again!"

"Hey, watch it with that thing, Toadbert!" came the voice of Billy, somewhere to Luigi's left. He turned to see the two Toads struggling to move a picnic bench into the square.

"By boggity, this thing is heavy!" Toadbert exclaimed as he set it down. Banktoad ran up, carrying a basket of food and a crate of drinks.

"All right, that's the first one taken came of!" he exclaimed, putting the food down. "Toadette's getting a crew together to deal with the rest. This place is going to become the hub of the party!"

"Yeah!" Billy exclaimed, leaping into the air gleefully before glancing around in confusion. "Hey, where's Mailtoad? I haven't seen him since we finished locking those creeps up in the castle dungeons!"

Banktoad chuckled. "Oh, he'll come around." he replied mysteriously. "Give him time. He's rigging up a huge surprise for all of us."

"Oh, gee, I can't wait!" Billy replied, his large blue eyes widening. Toadbert shook his head.

"This is going to be a long night." he sighed. "I'm getting too old for this."

As Luigi watched, more and more Toads came pouring in, bringing picnic benches, food, and drinks, and while speaking excitedly of the future and reminicing fondly about the best. One toad turned on his C-d player, and the upbeat tunes of "Break Free", a song sung by Pauline about Mario and Bowser's battle on the moon, became echoing around Toad Town. A gang of youths began to sing in off-key voices, and one especially excited young Toad began twirling his girlfriend around the square, both of them grinning even to the limits of their round faces. Luigi continued to watch the people, although he neglected to go in and socialize. "Mario..." he thought. "If...if only you could see this..." Then something dawned on him, something he knew he should have realized before but had long forgetten due to the former tedium of his life. "Today's September 13!" he realized, standing up in shock. "Today's your anneversary, bro!" tears welled up in Luigi's eyes as he gazed around the well-lit town square, watching the people laughing and celebrating with each other. For the first time since that day, Toad Town was actually celebrating. It...it was just...

"Hey, green guy." came a voice from behind Luigi. Luigi turned around to see Cobal, who was coming up to him dressed in a leather jacket. His face was, although perhaps more restrained then the naturally cheerful Toads, obviously in better spirits then when they had first met. "This cool or what?"

"Y...yeah, Cobal!" Luigi replied, turning around and clapping him on the shoulder. "It's very cool!" Luigi studied Cobal, who was gazing at the festivities with curiosity and maybe even a little bit of awe. This young reptile here...this kid who had never even had the chance to hear a news broadcast proclaiming yet another rescue of the princess by Mario, had been the one to set him on the right track...to have hope when he had none. The kid had spirit, Luigi realized...the kind of spirit that Mario had had. He thought nothing of making an enemy of a military superpower that controlled the world...whether he ought to or not. That kind of pure, reckless courage wasn't the kind of thing you found in an everyday individual. "I can't let this go to waste!" Luigi promised himself. "Somehow, I gotta help this guy! We're going to see this to the end, even if we have to face Bowser's entire army!" he shuddered at the thought, but surpressed his fear. It hadn't done him any good the last few years, and it sure wouldn't do him any good here.

"Hey, Big L." Cobal said, tapping Luigi's arm and pointing at some of the tables. "Want to go get some snacks? You deserve it more then any of us. There's this absolutely ancient old granny...think her name is Tayce T...who's cooked up some crazy-smelling things. At least twice as good as the stuff Toadbert makes."

"Tayce T?" Luigi exclaimed in excitment, recalling the old baker who his brother had been very fond of. "She's still alive?"

"She ain't too pretty, but yeah, she's stirring that batter faster then an airship propeller. Don't know where she finds the strength to do it."

"Mama Mia!" Luigi sighed, catching a whiff of the delicious smell of freshly-baked pastry coming from one of the tables. "Let's-a-go!"

Scarcly a minute had past before Luigi and Cobal were devouring some delicious, chewy cookies freshly baked by Tayce T's oven, sitting together on one of the picnic benches with a bottle of Chuckola Cola each. As Luigi sipped the cool soda as he relaxed in the flickering light of the bonfire some of the Toads had recently lit (if you were going to burn the Bowser flags, you might as well get some use out of them), he had appreciate just how good it was. The watered-down stuff didn't cut it at all; this was Boom Boom's private stash from the castle kitchens. Luigi looked up as Toadette suddenly sat herself down in front of them, a big smile on her face and a bottle of the same cola in her right hand.

"Isn't this great, Luigi?" she asked, gazing around the town square. By now, the speakers were blaring out a boppy little tune that people always associated with Mario for some reason, and the Toads were dancing around to the beat of the music. "It feels just like how things were before Bowser messed everything up!"

"It's his anniversary, you know." Luigi put in with a warm smile, glancing up at the full moon which was shining above them, filling the sky with light. "I bet he's real happy to see us like this...him and the Princess, if she's dead too."

"Yeah, none of us know what happened to old Princess Peach." Cobal put in, taking another swig of his soda. "Maybe the Emperor's got her locked up in one of his castles just like he used to do."

"Well, if he has, we'll rescue her!" Luigi vowed, his grip tightening around his bottle as he thought of all the trials kind, sweet Princess Peach could have been undergoing in this Koopa-dominated world. "We'll...we'll make Bowser regret everything he's ever done!"

"That's pretty feisty for you, huh, Luigi?" Toadette smiled mischievously. "Shouldn't you be curled up in a ball and crying right now?"

"I've done enough of that for twenty years!" he replied, shaking his head. "It's-a me time!"

Toadette turned back to the castle, which was faintly shiloetted in the moonlight. The Koopas hadn't done a good job at maintaining it's electricity. While it was still just as beat-up as it had been since the day Bowser took over the Mushroom Kingdom, the atmosphere around the town was so happy that Luigi could almost imagine it was the shining, perfect, and beautiful home of the Princess once again. "Mailtoad should be almost done..." she mused to herself, eyeing the castle curiously. "Yes...it should be any minute now..." suddenly, a red light shot from the castle's highest tower. It traveled higher and higher into the sky, as Luigi, Cobal, and the other celebrators in Toad Town stopped what they were doing and began to follow the strange object's path into the sky. When it reached a certain hight, it exploded into a brilliant red firework pattern depicting none other the face of Luigi's dear brother. A second after the face of Mario faded away, a green firework shot up before exploding into the face of Luigi, which was followed by a pink one of Peach and a brighter green one of Yoshi. After that there, there were countless colorful fireballs coming out of the castle, many at once, blooming into mushrooms, stars, Fire Flowers, and more objects that everybody associated with the Mushroom Kingdom and the Mario brothers. Luigi just couldn't tear his eyes away from them. These were the same fireworks they always had at the end of their tennis or karting championships...but nobody in the kingdom had laid eyes on them since Bowser's conquest. Seeing them again after all these years was getting him all choked up!

There was the sound of footsteps approaching, and Mailtoad ran up, looking out of breath. Luigi could see that he'd just ran the whole distance from Peach's Castle to their table in the town square without even stopping once. "All righty, that went well!" he exclaimed, in between his rapid pants. "Can't believe that old firework launcher still works! I don't think those goons touched it once!"

"Mailtoad, that was beautiful!" came the sobbing voice of Toadbert from the table nearby. He had taken off his road spectacles and was more or less freely sobbing. "A...a true work of art!"

"Hey, all I did was stuff some dusty old fireworks in a machine and shoot them." he replied, blushing in embarrassment.

"Hey, don't be so modest!" Toadette smiled, clapping him on the back. Above them, the fireworks continued to go off, lighting up the whole night sky with rainbow-coloured explosions of light. "It really completes the mood, Mailtoad! Everybody appreciates your well-spent time!"

"So this is what the Mushroom Kingdom's supposed to be like." Cobal breathed in awe, as he gazed up at the fireworks, unable to take his eyes off the spectacle.

"This does it!" Billy exclaimed, standing up proudly to the astonishment of Toadbert and Banktoad, who were still beside him. "I'm tired of being the coward who just sleeps on the job! I don't ever want the Koopas to oppress anyone, ever again! I'm going to be like you, Mario!" he screamed into the sky, as a massive firework of Mario doing the thumbs-up exploded in the air.

"Mario." Luigi sighed, looking around the plaza, tinted orange by the flames of the bonfire and full of celebrating people, to the fireworks booming above the castle with tears in his eyes. "I swear...I'm going to bring this kind of happiness to the rest of the Mushroom Kingdom!"


	11. Governor Flame

**Chapter Eleven: Governor Flame**

 _I'm glad to hear that so many of my reviewers reacted so emotionally to my last chapter! You better look out, though, because Luigi's story is just beginning. I appreciate your support!_

The door of the Koopa Cruiser opened with a hiss as Corporal Blueshell stepped down the ramp onto the streets of Mushroom City. At the foot of the ramp, the Boomerang Bro paused, looking over his surroundings. It had been three years since he'd last been here, and boy, did it feel good to be back. He'd had just about enough of Captain Boom Boom and his garrison.

Mushroom City, center of Koopa Empire operations in the Mushroom Kingdom was, unfortunately, a mere shell of it's former self. In the days following Mario's death the group that would eventually evolve into the terrorist organization Fire Flower had put up quite the resistance in the city and it had taken an entire year and a whole lot of Bob-ombs to smoke them out. As Blueshell walked away from the landing pad, he saw workers hard at work repairing some of the holes in the skyscrapers, although they hadn't even come close to erasing all of the damage Mushroom City had sustained during the war.

With a roar of rockets, the Koopa Cruiser took over behind Blueshell, the Koopa abesnt-mindedly watching it disappear into the clouds. It was odd to think that ages ago the design had been used for the Emperor's private ship. These days, Koopa Cruisers were mass-produced and used as a form of military transport. A sure sign of how much the Koopa Troop had evolved, to be sure. Blueshell turned away from the landing pad and began to walk down the sidewalk on what must have been quite the busy highway in the city's prime. Most of the shops were closed now, and there were precious few cars driving past the Boomerang Bro on the street. Most of the inhabitants of Mushroom City were Koopa Troop members there on military duty, so as such there was no need for most of the stores or entertainment facilities. It essentially functioned as a giant military base rather then a residential area, even through there were a couple of the city's old inhabitants who still managed to scrape by. Banners of the empire hung on every building, as a constant reminder of who was in charge. Blueshell felt the Koopa Emperor's eyes staring down at him as he continued down the sidewalk at a steady pace, well aware of the importance of his mission.

Corporal Blueshell's destination was the tallest building in Mushroom City, which was once the headquaters of the Mushroom Kingdom's largest broadcasting network but now was the Koopa Troop's primary headquarters in the kingdom. It was in better shape then a lot of the other buildings in the city and hung with an extraordinarily large amount of banners. Blueshell crossed the street and headed through the glass doors into the main lobby. The lobby's floors were of black marble, with a huge orange face painted on the floor. This face, while at a first glance was identical to the generic Emperor Bowser faces that adorned most Koopa Empire banners, was in fact that of Prince Bowser Jr, the ruler of Sector Eight. It was recognizable as such by the subtle fact that there was less hair on the Bowser Jr logo then on the Bowser one. Around the lobby, there were several Koopa Troop officers speaking with one another, discussing the typical kind of gossip military officers made with their peers. He caught several snatches of conversation involving a new royal decree the prince had put out, although he couldn't quite tell how that was relevant to members of the army like him. Putting the thought out of his mind, Blueshell approached the front desk.

The person at the front desk was a pudgy Monty Mole who had an annoyed expression on his face, as if his lunch break couldn't come fast enough. He glanced away from the small computer off to the side of the front desk and peered at Blueshell intently with his squinty eyes. "Corporal Koopov Blueshell, under the command of Captain Boom Boom." he said, identifying himself. "I'm here to see the governor."

"The governor?" the Monty Mole replied in confusion, peering at Blueshell even closer. "Sorry, pal. You don't have clearance for that. You're going to have to present a letter from your captain, and then I'm afraid you'll have to schedule an appointment. Governor Flame is very busy right now, with the prince's new decree and everything."

Something clicked in Corporal Blueshell's brain. He did not have time to deal with this bureaucratic nonsense...the future of the entire empire was at stake, no matter how crazy that sounded! "Captain Boom Boom is finished!" Blueshell exclaimed angrily, slamming his fist down on the shiny, polished white desk. Several of the officers in the room glanced at him, expressions of astonishment on their faces. Blueshell knew that Boom Boom, despite being rather low down in the chain of command and generally weak, was well-known throughout the Koopa Troop due to having gone toe-to-toe with Mario several times. This information alone would probably make the news from here to Koopa Central.

"Boom Boom is finished?" the Monty Mole exclaimed, with wide eyes. "You mean there was a revolution?"

"Was it Fire Flower?" asked a Lakitu officer who had been hovering nearby, listening to the conversation.

"No!" Blueshell shouted. "It's something far, far worse, something I don't feel comfortable shouting out to the world unless Governor Flame gives me the O.K. This is real important stuff...stuff that Koopa High Command needs to hear about." he leaned in even further, as the Monty Mole pushed his desk chair back, trying to be out of the reach of Blueshell's arms. The Boomerang Bro could see that he was just a simple receptionist who probably hadn't even been in the smallest battle. "In fact, if I had my way, the Emperor and all of his children would hear about it. _Now_ do you understand why I have to see the governor, Mr. Monty Mole?"

"I see, s...sir..." the receptionist stammered. "Top floor, eighth office to the right. That's where Governor Flame's office is...hope you tell him whatever he needs to hear, sir!"

"You bet I will." he said, shooting a resentful look at the mole as he walked past him into the elevator, glancing behind him at the lobby. All eyes were turned on him. He had a feeling that he was going to be the prime topic of their gossip for the rest of the day.

The elevator began to rise, slowly taking Blueshell to the top of the skyscraper. He stared out the window, watching as he climbed higher and higher above the city. In the distance, floating over the scarred buildings, he could see a battleship, decorated with the face of Bowser Jr. He stared at it with pride; while he was not the oldest Koopaling, Bowser Jr was the most respected. Sector Eight, his territory, consisted of the Mushroom Kingdom, the Beanbean Kingdom, and the original Koopa Kingdom. By being given both the homeland of the Koopas and the land of their greatest enemies, Bowser Jr might as well been handed the emperor's crown. As most people in the world thought he was sure to succeed his father as Koopa Emperor one day, Blueshell was proud to serve underneath his flag. His thoughts turned to Governor Flame, the Koopa he was about to see. Flame was...something of a mystery. He was scarcely older then Blueshell himself, meaning he had only been a child during the legendary conflicts between Mario and Bowser. That meant that, unlike every other member of Koopa High Command, he had never fought the Mario brothers. The story went that he had won fame commanding the Koopa Troop assault that had wiped out the Snowmad Armada, a barbarian force hailing from the Snow Kingdom that had sailed down to the Neo Bowser City harbour and attempted to freeze it much like they had froze Donkey Kong Island in the past. With the famed general Tutankoopa having scrummed to a terrible desert illness, Koopa High Command had an extra seat to fill and Flame was the obvious choice to fill the slot. "I can't help wondering how he'll handle this." Blueshell mused. "Unlike most of the older folks at the table, he doesn't know the brothers fight."

Once the elevator reached the top floor, Blueshell wasted no time in reaching the door indicated to him by the Monty Mole. He gave it a few quick knocks.

"What it is?" came an annoyed-sounding voice.

"Corporal Blueshell, general. Here to report." he replied.

"Come in." the general's voice responded. Blueshell opened the door and stepped in. Governor Flame's office was a fairly spacious room, which was extremely red. There was plush red carpet underneath Blueshell's feet, and the walls were painting in a slightly darker colour. An entire wall was made up of a huge window, overlooking the entire city. Blueshell slowly made his way towards the large, polished black desk, gazing around the room as he went. There were a variety of photographs hung on the wall...most prominent among them what Blueshell assumed to be the last known picture of the Snowmad flagship, since it appeared to be on fire and in the process of sinking. Slow, smooth jazz played on a radio somewhere in the room as Blueshell stood before the desk. The chair he was facing was tilted towards the window, leaving him unable to see any of it's occupants' features save for his shiny red shoes.

"Governor Flame, sir." Blueshell said respectfully, giving a crisp salute even though he knew the general couldn't see him. "I have a very important report to give. There has been a recent rebellion inside of Toad Town, and I fear that if it is not crushed, it could eventually grow strong enough to threaten even the emperor himself."

"Oh, really?" the general scoffed. His voice was rather high-pitched and aloof-sounding, almost like that of a spoiled child. The chair turned slightly, allowing Blueshell to get his first good look at Flame. Governor Flame was a Fire Bro who was dressed in a red military uniform, adorned with two medals: a gold one in the shape of Bowser's head which showed his belonging to Koopa High Command, and a silver circular one with the image of Bowser's fist on it, likely an honor commemorating his military victory. He was lounging on his chair in a sloppy sort of way, resting his head upon his fist. "Do you really expect me to believe that, _corporal?"_ he said with a knowing sort of grin. Blueshell instantly knew that he was not going to like Flame.

"Let me get right to the point." he said, narrowing his eyes seriously. " _Luigi_ is back, and I don't think he's planning on quitting anytime soon."

"Luigi?" Flame asked with some interest. "Didn't he die years ago?"

"No, sir." Blueshell replied humbly, sorely hoping he wasn't going to get punished for his boss' stupid mistake. "It was Captain Boom Boom's fault, general. Luigi was a wreck. I think the captain enjoyed seeming him like that. For some reason yesterday, however, Luigi with no warning rallied the toads and completely overthrew my division."

"Hmmm." Flame mused, getting up from his seat and beginning to pace around. "Troublesome...troublesome indeed."

"General Flame, sir," Blueshell ventured to ask, "I suggest we deal with him with extreme force. He's a Mario brother, for goodness sake. The prince needs to know about this."

"NO!" Flame exclaimed suddenly, making Blueshell jump.

"W...why no?" Blueshell replied in confusion, feeling worry creep in.

"I don't think you quite understand the position I'm in, Corporal Blueshell." Flame said, beginning to pace back and forth erratically. "Do you know what it's like being part of Koopa High Command? Nobody respects me! Goomboss thinks I'm too young, Kamella thinks I'm too weak, and King Boo thinks I'm too stupid! There are other generals in the Koopa Troop, corporal...generals from District 2 who are older and more experienced then I am, and bound to have dozens of chances for heroics in the little scuffle going on down there! _Now_ do you understand me, corporal?" Flame half-shouted, striding towards Blueshell and looking him straight into the eye.

"I...I'm afraid not, sir." Blueshell replied, as respectfully as he could manage. As far as he could tell, the governor had just needed a reason to rant about his insecurities.

"Fame!" Flame exclaimed, shaking his fist passionately. "I need to win glory and honour that will place me high above all my fellow officers! Am I going to win that by running to Prince Bowser Jr and complaining? Of course not! He'll want to fight Luigi himself, and steal _my_ glory!" Flame began pacing around the room again, as his face became enraptured in delusional glory. "Some of my fellow generals are powerful, yes. Some of them are smart, some of them are experienced, blah, blah blah. Have any other them actually _beat_ one of the Mario bros? No! I'm going to deal with this problem myself, Corporal Blueshell, and I'll treat any attempt to inform the prince about this information as high treason!"

Blueshell turned away. He was very, very concerned...both about the situation in Toad Town, and the governor's sanity in general. "So...when's this attack going to happen?" he finally asked.

"As soon as possible." Flame declared. "There's just the pesky matter of the prince's royal decree to deal with. Once that's done, I'll get every battleship in the Mushroom Kingdom to descend on Toad Town and burn it to the ground!" he walked to the window and stared out of it, gazing over Mushroom City as Blueshell watched, not quite sure what to think. "I'll burn down the old legacy of the Mario brothers and replace it with the legacy of General Fortugas Flame, Governor of the Mushroom Kingdom and future Grand General of the Koopa Empire!" he snapped his fingers, creating a spark. "Make yourself useful." he said, glancing at Blueshell. "Since your division's ancient history I might as well make you my personal aid since I had to fire Goombiora last week. Grab me a coffee."

"T...thanks, governor." Blueshell said slowly, beginning to walk out the door. Somehow, he felt that he wasn't feeling near as happy as he ought to in this situation. In fact, it would be fair to say that he was beginning to feel downright awful.


	12. Neon Castle

**Chapter Twelve: Neon Castle**

 _Thank you for everyone's continued support of this fanfiction. I can't believe that I have over twenty follows and almost fifty reviews already! I just wanted to add some info about the story here, since there's no way I can really say it in the actual plot. The Mushroom World in this story is the same world as in Super Mario Odyssey, but with one crucial difference. The Mushroom Kingdom is connected to Bowser's Kingdom by land rather then being an island in the middle of the ocean, as in Odyssey. I did this to create more consistency with other games, as Mario does not cross a vast ocean to reach Bowser's Castle in most of his adventures. Additionally, the Koopalings are Bowser's biological children in this story, since it generally allows for more complicated interactions between them. I hope you all keep on enjoying "Fallen Kingdom!"_

Night had fallen upon the Sand Kingdom, plunging it into a cold icy chill. A traveller going about his way through the desert would become horrified to find his cool clothing become useless and his vision plunged into darkness in the middle of the endless sea of sand. In the past, that unprepared traveller would have been as good as dead. Nowadays, though, his story would be different. Shivering, stumbling, he would mount the top of a sand dune – and be greeted by the brilliant, rainbow-coloured gaze of the sprawling city before him.

Neon City was a city unlike any other in the Sand Kingdom, a product of the Koopa Empire's wealth. It was built in the middle of the desert, which made travel to it difficult except for by air. It's inhabitants called it the city of lights, for it's colourful neon signs shone 24/7, projecting strange colours into the air and insuring that the nightlife would never, ever end. Jam-packed with theatres, resorts, casinos, and bars, Neon City's inhabitants never lacked entertainment. It was like a sparkling jewel in the middle of a desert...a jewel that many called the Koopa Empire's centre of vice. Towering above every five-star hotel and every light-covered gambling hall was the spiked dome of Neon Castle, it's pink and purple lights making it stand out against the black sky. It was inside of this castle that the plan to unravel the Empire first began.

Prince Roy Koopa sat upon his jewel-incrusted throne, looking out over his dimly-lit throne hall. Dark pink lights shone from the pillars, allowing his to watch his courtesans who were sitting at the various tables that filled the room, drinking from massive mugs routinely refilled by the Boo waiters who floated in and out of the walls. They were his military officers, his Sector's most profitable businessmen, and even Neon City's kingpins of crime; the kind of people who loved to flock to those with power so that they could secure some of it for themselves. Roy gazed at them lazily, the purple light reflecting off his dark shades as he listened to the slow jazz which was being preformed live in a corner of the room. He was a huge Koopa even by royalty standards, and there were many who claimed his was even taller and more muscular then the emperor himself. Roy clicked his claws on the throne's armrest in impatience. Right now, he would have liked nothing more then to be relaxing in his lava-heated hot tub. Unfortunately, he had business to attend to...business which, if everything worked out, would make him even more powerful then he already was.

At the end of the hallway, Roy glimpsed a figure emerging. He straightened himself on his throne and grinned. Now things were about to get serious. The figure walking down the aisle between the tables with the drinking Koopas was a muscular sledge bro, clad in a black outfit instead of a green one. He was General Crushell, his right-hand man who had been given command over the invasion of Sector Two. "He better have good news." Roy thought to himself as Crushell approached the throne platform and knelt. "Because if he doesn't, I'll squash him like a Goomba and feed him to the Chain Chomps!"

"Prince Roy!" said Crushell in a reverent voice. "I am pleased to report that the invasion of Sector Two was a success!"

Roy leaned back on his throne and laughed aloud, his voice echoing through the chamber. "Of course it was!" he exclaimed, to no one in particular. Now things were really going to start picking up for him, he thought as he continued to laugh. If only he could've seen the look on his weakling little brother Morton's face when he heard that his kingdom was invaded. So much for being the "strongman of the Koopalings." Morton had probably been hoping he'd never have to fight again, now that the Koopas were in control of the world! If only he'd known how wrong that would be. Roy stopped laughing and grinned, baring his pointed teeth. They should've known a Koopa like him wouldn't be satisfied with just a part of the world. "So what's the status?" he asked, leaning down to look at Crushell. "How much have we taken over?"

"About a forth of Sarasaland already." Crushell replied, sounding a bit nervous.

"A fourth!?" Roy exclaimed, banging the armrest of his throne. "Crushell, I'm not paying you to be a wimp! You're MY top general! You should have at least destroyed Morton's castle by now!"

"Well, it has only been one day..." Crushell said defensively. "But don't worry, Prince Roy! While Morton's army has began putting into place defensive measures, we have already made plans to counter them! Furthermore, plans for the invasion of the other territories of Sector Two, such as the Sprixie Kingdom, have been made and will be put in place by tomorrow!"

"I see." Roy grumbled, staring down at Crushell and glaring at him from behind his sunglasses. Morton , despite his power, had never really liked fighting that much. His sector's military was nothing compared to that of Sector Four, which Roy controlled. Failure to defeat him quickly would make him look bad in front of Ludwig and Larry. Roy growled, scraping his claws against the throne's golden armrest. Ludwig had promised him a guaranteed victory; but he wasn't going to rely on Ludwig's guarantee. He could tell that his two, more intelligent brothers looked down on him; Ludwig in particular, so he wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of helping him. "Crushell!" Roy exclaimed, causing the Sledge Bro to snap to attention.

"Yes, Prince Roy?"

"When's the date of my meeting with Larry?" he growled. "I want it over with as soon as possible!"

"General Koops will be here any minute to discuss it, my lord." Crushell replied.

"Hmph." Roy nodded. "You can go now. Get back to work." As Crushell left, Roy listened to the excited gossip of his underlings, as he mused darkly about his meeting with Larry. He wasn't looking forward to it at all.

"General Koops? The ace of Koopa High Command is coming here?" said one tuxedo-clad Koopa in shock.

"The alliance between Prince Roy and Prince Larry is thicker then I thought." an elderly hammer bro said, with a sip of sparkling Greenshell wine.

"Have you heard the rumours about Koops?" a parakoopa asked, his wings fluttering with excitement as he gossiped with the people at his table. "Do you really think he ever fought Emperor Bowser in his youth?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Parakorro." a Goomba with a goatee who was sitting at the same table scoffed. "If he really was one of Mario's allies, how do you think he managed to move up the ranks so fast?"

The massive set of doors at the end of the hall creaked open, and a single Koopa Troop stepped in. While it was difficult to see due to his dark glasses and the already-dark lighting in the room, Roy could tell that General Koops was anything but intimidating. There was nothing about the way he carried himself that invoked awe or fear, and he didn't seem to possess anything that made him different from a typical green-shelled Koopa Troopa. The nobles appeared to be surprised, as well.

"Look at him!" a Koopatrol exclaimed. "He looks scared out of his wits? Is he really the one in line to become the next Grand General?"

"Fought with Emperor Bowser...hah!" a Bob-omb laughed. "He could barely fight my own son!"

Koops did not seem too affected by the people's criticisms of him, although he did nothing to silence them. He gave a shy smile at a Hammer Bro who had previously been comparing him to a startled rabbit. Now that he was closer, Roy could see him more. He was dressed in a light blue military jacket and had an ordinary bandage on the top of his nose. "Why in the world did Larry chose this guy as his second-in-command?" Roy scoffed, giving an unpleasant grin as Koops bowed before him. "I could crush him in a second!"

Koops glanced up at Roy. He did not kneel, which under most circumstances would have caused him to be promptly smashed by one of the prince's massive fists, especially since he was so weak-looking. That was what Roy certainly felt like doing, although, with difficulty, he restrained himself. The only way he was able to go against his siblings was because of his alliance with Ludwig and Larry. If he broke that, it would be the rest of the world against him and as much as he hated to admit it, he'd probably lose. "Uh...hey, Prince Roy." Koops stammered in a nervous voice.

"Yeah, that's my name." Roy grunted, leaning back on his throne. "So, what's Larry's deal? When's this meeting happening?"

"T...Three days." Koopa replied, holding up three of his fingers. "Larry's...well, he's a bit busy. Espionage stuff is a lot of work, you know. Don't worry. He'll try to come as soon as possible."

"And won't it be a joy when he does." Roy replied dryly.

"Hey, taking over the world isn't the kind of thing you can do in a day." Koops offered helpfully. "It's always nice to have help."

"Yeah, whatever, pipsqeak." Roy replied, waving his hand in dismissal. "Go back to Sector One, where people actually care about you."

Koops was visibly offended, but said nothing. "Yeah, see yah." he replied, waving passively as he walked back down the hall.

"Such disrespect." an elegantly-dressed Koopa woman said in disgust, shaking her head. Roy very much agreed with her, although he was glad Koops at least at the decency to keep it short. He rose from his throne and walked down the steps from his royal platform, between the tables full of the city's wealthiest and more powerful. He nodded in appreciation as they all watched him with respect, awe, and fear as he walked past them. As ruler of Neon City and of Sector Four, he had everything. But not even everything was enough to satisfy Roy Koopa.


	13. The Mushroom Kingdom Awaits

**Chapter Thirteen: The Mushroom Kingdom Awaits**

 _Thank you so much for helping me get over fifty reviews already! This really encourages me to strive even harder to make "Fallen Kingdom" the absolute best it can be. One of my reviews mentioned confusion on as to why Larry would join up with Roy and Ludwig; don't worry. Once Larry actually makes a physical appearance, his motivations will be explained in full. I hope you all continue to enjoy this story!_

Luigi stood at the gate of Toad Town, Cobal beside him. For the first time in a long, long while, he felt perfectly rested. Dozens and dozens of trials and battles likely lay ahead of him, but despite his naturally-cautious personality, Luigi tried to keep himself focused on the present. He had just freed Toad Town from Koopa control, given freedom to the peaceful and innocent people of the town he had spent most of his life in. It was early in the next morning after the party, and the sun had just risen, breaking through the clouds to shine upon the newly-free town. Luigi could already here the sounds of hammers and saws, working to remove all evidence of the empire. They were doing there part...now it was time for him to do his.

Toadbert and Toadette were standing before them, saying goodbye. Luigi saw an emotional look in Cobal's usually tough and confidant face as Toadbert clapped him on the shoulder. "By boggity, Cobal, you've made me proud." the blue-capped Toad said, shaking his head sadly. "I always knew you were a fighter but I never though...I never..."

"Hey, no use shedding any tears now, Toadbert." Cobal replied, scratching his head in embarrassment. "Toad Town's free! Go enjoy yourself!"

"Y...yes, of course." Toadbert nodded, glancing back at the pathway which ran through the town, slowly climbing a hill until it reached the castle. "I'm so glad that Bowser's minions kept the library mostly untouched! I don't know how many hours of sleep I've lost imagining some Goomba using "Great Mushrooms of the Past" as a fire starter."

"You going to be OK here by yourself?" Luigi asked the Toads with concern. He didn't know what the Koopas' next move was going to be. While he was certain that most of Boom Boom's garrison had been captured, he couldn't rule out the possibility that one of them had escaped. For all he knew, there could be a fleet of airships en route to Toad Town before sundown.

"Oh, Luigi." Toadette sighed, shaking her head. "You're such a worrywart! We're the Toad Brigade! Trust us to hold down the fort while you're gone!"

"We've already made plans for some defence systems." Toadbert added. "It seems like the Koopas left quite a bit of Bob-ombs and Bill Blasters behind in the castle. I have a feeling we'll be able to put them to good use."

"Whoa!" Luigi exclaimed. The Toads were actually planning to defend the town instead of just run away and scream? They really were serious about this! "In that case, I have to be serious too!" Luigi thought to himself. "I've got to rush all the way to Bowser and give him some payback!"

"Here's your jacket, Cobal." Toadbert said, handing the blue Yoshi a studded leather jacket. Cobal grinned and put it on.

"Thanks, Toadbert." he replied. "I wouldn't leave town without this."

"We should get going." Luigi remarked, shooting a glance at Peach's Castle. The sun was shining brightly on it and he could see the tiny figures of Toads, hard at work on the roof to repair it. It was going to be odd, leaving the town he'd spent twenty years in. This whole notion of travelling into the Mushroom Kingdom to take down Bowser felt almost as if it was transporting him to a bygone age.

"Yeah, the Koopa Empire isn't going to fall on it's own." Cobal nodded, giving Toadbert's hand a firm shake before turning away. The glasses-clad Toad looked near to tears.

"We got your back, Luigi!" Toadette exclaimed cheerfully. "Go squish a Goomba for me, kay?"

Luigi nodded, giving the two Toads a thumbs-up. "Don't-a worry, you guys!" he exclaimed, hoping he was really as confidant as he sounded. "I'm going to save the Mushroom Kingdom! At least, I think-"

"Ah, don't be so hard on yourself." Cobal said, giving Luigi a teasing shove. "You're amazing. Seriously."

"O...OK." Luigi nodded, blushing from embarrassment. He wasn't used to getting this much praise. Was this how Mario felt, he wondered?

A few minutes later, the two were off, travelling over the rolling hills of the Mushroom Plains. The sun was shining up above Luigi's head, warmly beating down upon his cap as the birds chirped merrily in the air. He could still smell the fresh scent of the dew on the bright green grass. Now nearly a mile away from Toad Town, Luigi couldn't help looking back. At this distance, Toad Town looked no different then it had before Bowser's conquest, with the tallest tower of the castle rising above the mushroom-shaped Toad Houses like a flower in full bloom. It reminded Luigi of the fact that no matter how broken and overrun it was, the Mushroom Kingdom was still the Mushroom Kingdom. No amount of Bob-ombs and Bullet Bills could change that.

"You ever been out here?" Luigi asked Cobal as the two continued to walk through the plain, past the tall, colourful rocks which were plentiful in this part of the kingdom. "Or did you just stay in the town?"

"I've been out a couple times." Cobal replied. "Not too much, though. I've only been to Koopa Village to pick up some extra items when the shop was out."

Luigi nodded. "Hey, you've missed out on a lot of amazing places!" he said, thinking back to all of his exciting adventures with Mario. "You ever heard of Star Hill? Sparkling Waters? The Thwomp Ruins?"

Cobal shook his head. "Nope, never heard of any of them." he said regretfully as they continued their trek over the sprawling plains. "Pity, they sound like sweet places."

Luigi nodded. "Hey, well, you know...maybe one day you'll be free to explore the kingdom at your own pace!" he said optimistically. He neglected to add the fact that he wasn't entirely sure how long it would take until that day would come. Although the Mario brothers had defeated Bowser more times then Luigi could count, they had never once tried to knock him off the throne of the Koopa Kingdom. Right now, they were up against a Bowser who had control of not just his own kingdom, but the entire planet, and who would have had twenty years and near-infinite resources to improve his army and defences. Was this the kind of thing that would take a full-on war to finish? That certainly wasn't his comfort zone. Leave that kind of stuff to the Koopas; all he was good for was stomping minions and sucking up ghosts.

The destination of Luigi and Cobal was Mushroom City. Since Cobal had told him that was the centre of the Koopa Empire's power in the Mushroom Kingdom, he figured that it would be the first area that needed to be freed. He was going off his experience fighting the Shroobs here, since that was the only time he'd ever faced off against an army comparable in size to the Koopa Empire. By taking out their key bases, like the horrific Vim Factory and the base which was built inside of the massive, monstrous Yoob, they'd been able to weaken the alien invaders so that by the time they infiltrated Shroob Castle, they weren't up against impossible odds. It wasn't near a solid enough plan for somebody like Luigi, but it would have to work for now. Sometimes, a good, Mario-like charge was all it took to take down a seemingly-unbeatable foe.

As the two continued their journey, they passed an old airship which was lying tilted to one side, it's masts crooked and it's wooden hull completely overgrown by moss. There were a couple other chunks of airships lying around, too, evidence of the war, no doubt. Luigi wondered how long it had lay there. How much damage had they manage to deal to the Koopa Troop in that final struggle?

"Wish that thing was still working." Cobal commented, glancing at the wreck. There was a tiny white bird perched on one of the rusted Bill Blasters, created an odd sort of image. "Mushroom City is miles away. It'll take days to reach it on foot."

"Nope, you're wrong about that!" Luigi corrected him. He had had a clear destination in mind when he had first set out from Toad Town...namely, the small grove of trees which was about fifty meters in front of them. "Cobal, haven't you ever heard of a warp pipe before?"

"Warp pipe?" Cobal asked, scratching his head. "I've heard people talk about them...supposedly the Koopas clogged them all up when they took over the town...never understood it, though."

"It's the way me and my bro used to travel." Luigi explained, rushing down a hill and picking up the pace to he could reach the grove better. "You can travel across the kingdom, pretty much instantly!"

"So it's magic?" Cobal asked, running up behind Luigi.

Luigi shrugged. "Beats me." he admitted, feeling somewhat embarrassed about it. He _was_ a plumber, so it was sort of his job to understand pipes.

A few minutes later, Luigi ran into the grove, crushing the fallen leaves underneath his feet. There it was: a perfectly round, green pipe, strangely free of any sort of wear. He breathed a sigh of relief; he'd been a bit worried that the Koopa Troop would've done away with this one just like with the ones in Toad Town. With Cobal close behind him, Luigi approached the pipe, putting his hand on the rim and peering into the seemingly-endless pit within. A dark, murky smell was coming out of it, quite typical for pipes. Not surprisingly, Cobal looked extremely skeptical.

"Is this safe?" he asked, striking his head down the pipe in what was likely an attempt to see what was at the bottom. "I mean, what happens when we hit the bottom? What if we get stuck?" he shot Luigi suspicious look. "You sure you haven't hit your head on one too many brick blocks, old man?"

"Cobal, you have to trust me." Luigi said patiently, climbing up onto the pipe and standing on the rim. He understood Cobal's hesitation; he'd thought the exact same thing when Mario had first decided to take a dive into one of these things. "I've been down this pipes like this lots and lots of times. And I was a whole lot more nervous then you when I first did it!" With that, Luigi leapt into the air, straight into the gaping black maw of the pipe. The familier sound rang through his ears as he was plunged into darkness, feeling the suction drag his body forward. Luigi felt goosebumps pop up as his skin as he felt the cold, underground air. He wasn't worried about Cobal chickening out. If the Yoshi didn't have guts, he wouldn't have fought those Koopas in the first place.

Time scarcely seemed to pass at all in the cool, damp pipe. In less then ten minutes, Luigi saw light up ahead. He shot through it like a rocket, leaping out of the pipe before landing stylishly on his feet on some overgrown grass. He glanced around the area, getting the bearing of his surroundings. He was in one of Mushroom City's parks, although it seemed like the park hadn't been maintained at all for the complete duration of the empire's rain. The bushes had grown thick, shielding it from view, while the trees were at least twice the size since he'd last seen them. All in all, the pipe was perfectly hidden, which was probably why the Koopas hadn't done anything about it.

About a minute after Luigi exited the pipe, Cobal leapt out, landing a little sloppier then Luigi. "OK, I'll admit, that was weird." he said, giving it an odd look as he dusted off his leather jacket.

"Yeah...you'll get used to it." Luigi replied. He peered through the bushes, catching his first glimpse of Mushroom City in the full. At first glance it seemed relatively the same as the city which he and his friends used to go racing through. That was until Luigi noticed the holes and cracks which covered the skyscrapers, scarring them from head to foot. There were some buildings which looked as if they'd had entire floors blasted off, while others had gaped holes in the walls allowing him to stare into the empty apartments. "W...whoa." Luigi gasped, pushing away the bushes as he stepped into the park. The grass came up to his knees, clearly unattended to. Why would Bowser cause so much damage to Mushroom City, when it had no real defences aside from it's police force? "What happened?"

"Fire Flower happened." Cobal replied, stepping out of the bushes himself. He seemed entranced by the wrecked city; Luigi realized that this was his first time in such an urban environment.

"Fire Flower?" Luigi asked.

"It's the resistance against the Koopa Empire." Cobal explained. "The story goes to say that they banded together after Peach's Castle fell. They holed themselves up in Mushroom City and tried to defend it from the Koopa Troop. Eventually, they got overwhelmed, but that wasn't enough to keep em' down. No, they escaped and are still working to topple the empire in their own way. Might be the kind of guys we ought to get to know, right, Luigi?"

Luigi nodded. "They definitely sound serious." he agreed as he walked through the overgrown park, heading for the streets. If there was already an active resistance against the Koopa Empire, things might be easier then he thought.

The strange thing that occurred to Luigi once he left the park was the city seemed almost completely empty. Gone were the fast-moving cars that had hit him so often in the kart races. The roads were silent. There were scarcely any people on the sidewalk next to them, and the few people that they saw were generally members of the Koopa Troop. Luigi kept his head low. Thankfully, these were likely all low-ranked members who would've never fought him before. If they happened to glance his way, they probably wouldn't even recognize him. That was the advantage of being the lesser-known bro. To this day, he was still sure that the Koopas who had fought him only knew him as "Green Mario".

The street Luigi was on was one he remembered clearly from his travels in the city, one which had been lined with shops and full of happy Toads. Now the shops were boarded up or simply abandoned, and the menacing red banners of the empire hung on the buildings, a constant reminder of the Koopa Troop occupation. He really found it quite depressing, that such a lively city had been reduced to a mere shell of it's former self courtesy of the enemy occupation. Cobal looked deep in thought as the two of them walked down the sidewalk, passing an occasional Koopa Troop member and, even more rarely, a dirty-looking Toad. As they passed the Toad, the Toad looked at Luigi with wide eyes...before turning and going on his way, seemingly dismissing the encounter. Luigi wondered what Cobal was thinking. Was he enraged by the way the Koopa Empire had pillaged and trashed Mushroom City? Was he intimidated by the scope of how much destruction they had caused? Luigi didn't have time to worry about that sort of thing at the moment, though. He had his own worries, as he continued down the sidewalk of the empty street. What was he going to do, exactly? Heading to the Koopa Empire's base in the Mushroom Kingdom had seemed a good enough plan to him, but what was his move after that? Should he do it the classic way? Bust into their main headquarters, and beat up the leader? Or did the Koopa Empire's superior power call for a more...cautious approach?

There was a massive rumble overhead, like the sound of heavy machinery in an industrial factory. A massive ship was coming into view, casting an enormous shadow over the ground. Luigi stopped what he was doing to watch it pass over. It was clearly an airship, with it's huge Bowser figurehead and wooden hull, but it was nearly ten times larger then the ones he was used to seeing and had traded in it's masts for a turret-covered superstructure. It's gigantic engines filled the street with sound as they whipped up a wind that shook the banners that hung from the buildings.

"A battleship..." Cobal said in some kind of frightened awe. "I'd heard they were huge but I had no idea they were _that_ much bigger..." he turned to Luigi. "Man, you better have some kind of plan, right?"

Luigi sighed as the sky began to brighten as the battleship slowly passed over them. "How about we start with this...Flame guy, right? He's the leader, isn't he?"

"Yup." Cobal nodded as they continued down the road. "Governor Flame, General of the Koopa Troop and member of Koopa High Command, according to the news channels."

"Then he's who we have to fight." Luigi said, feeling nervous even saying that. He was out of practice. Sure, Boom Boom had went down easily enough, but well, he was _Boom Boom._ If this Governor Flame guy had this much honours, he could be seriously powerful. How would would his honed reflexed fare against an enemy who was actually in shape?

"Easier said then done." Cobal said glumly. "He's probably surrounded by an entire army. But hey, that's not about to get us down, is it?" he said, with a smirk.

"Uhhh...yeah..." Luigi said nervously, sounding not near as confidant as his young companion.

After about an hour of walking, Luigi and Cobal reached the centre of Mushroom City, a gigantic crossroads full of what once were considered the kingdom's hottest and most modern shops, although the majority of those seemed to be out of business now. There were more people in the city centre then Luigi had seen otherwise; most of them Koopas, but with a scattering of Toads as well. The massive electronic billboards which usually displayed advertisements for the latest new items and blockbuster movies simply showed a static image of the Koopa Empire emblem, looking over the people as they went about their daily business. Luigi noticed that most of the Koopas appeared to be civilians, as they were discussing casual, mundane subjects with each other and didn't seem to be doing any sort of job. Then again, they could simply be soldiers on off duty, but either way, he didn't think that they'd be a big threat.

"Hey, Luigi." Cobal said, turning to him. "Not trying to slack or anything, but I haven't eaten since we left Toad Town. Think we could grab a bite to eat before figuring out where the governor is?"

Luigi's stomach rumbled. "I think that's an excellent idea." he replied sheepishly. It was easy to forget about food without Mario being around to remind you of it. Flame wasn't going anywhere...although that didn't mean he could slack. He had to stay on the top of things in case the Koopas were planning to strike back against the people of Toad Town any time soon. He was going to have to put aside that thought for a bit. If they didn't eat, that would just put both of them at a disadvantage. Now where to eat? All his favourite pizza and pasta places would probably be closed now, wouldn't they?

Luigi was just debating whether it was worth it to check if Toady Linguini's pasta house was still open when he was suddenly jerked out of his thoughts by the blaring of loud music which resounded through the entire city centre. To Luigi, the music sounded like the combination of a national anthem, the backing track of a pop song, a swinging jazz melody, and just the slightest hint of a carnival song. "W...what?" he said aloud as the screens with the Koopa Empire flags suddenly switched to showing burning flames.

"Who picked this music?" Cobal asked in annoyance. "It sounds like the theme song for some guy who thinks he's the Mushroom Kingdom's top idol or something."

"Yeah..." Luigi nodded. The other people in the city centre, both the Toads and the Koopas, also looked confused. There was a flash of bright light on the screens, before the flames parted to reveal a Fire Bro dressed in a red military coat standing in front of a massive Koopa Empire flag.

"Hellooooooo Mushroom Kingdooooom!" the Fire Bro exclaimed. "It's your favourite lord and master, the one and only Governor Fortugas Flaaaame!" he snapped his fingers, creating a spark of fire. Both Luigi and Cobal, to the least, were floored.

"That's Governor Flame?" Cobal exclaimed, in what sounded like an angry voice. "I dunno...I sort of that he'd be some super-threatening, super-evil warrior who'd rule with an iron fist! The kind of guy you can feel good about yourself for bringing down!"

Flame struck another, equally flamboyant pose. "Have the Koopa Troop's standards gone down?" Luigi wondered as he stared at the screen with morbid fascination. "A guy this ridiculous would never have gotten this high twenty years ago! Sure, the Koopalings were crazy, but they were Bowser's kids! This guy would have had to move up the ranks by himself!"

"Oh, Flame, you are so literally hot!" sighed a teenaged girl Koopa dreamily.

"Snap out of it, Koopri, you can do better then that joker." an older Koopa who Luigi presumed to be her father sighed with an irritated look on his face.

"Today, I'm here with a very special announcement." Flame exclaimed, flashing a "charming" smile. "Don't all of you guys just want to be like me? Do heroic deeds day after day for our beloved Koopa Empire? Well, congratulations, now's your chance. Our very own Prince Bowser Jr has sent out a royal decree which gives everyone a chance to lend me and him a helping hand. He was so kind he actually made it mandatory too, so nobody in Sector Eight will make the mistake of not deciding to sign up!"

Forced conscription? That didn't sound good to Luigi at all. Why was the Koopa Empire trying to grow it's ranks? It couldn't be because of his freeing Toad Town, could it? Maybe it had something to do with that Fire Flower group.

"By my mother's shell." Koopri's father cursed, as his daughter looked at him worriedly. "I thought I'd managed to get out of that life."

"Wait...he said everybody...so does that mean I have to join the army, too?" Koopri asked, with concern in her voice. The other Koopa Troopas were talking to each other in similar, worried tones.

"This is a very special royal decree." Flame continued, speaking through the screen. "The empire's never had anything like it. For the first time in Koopa Troop history, we are opening our doors to species not normally found within our ranks. Yup, you heard that right. Toads, Yoshis, Piantas, Kongs, and everything in between also get the chance to join our ranks!"

Instantly, the Toads screamed and started to run.

"Wait, this doesn't seem right!" A green-shelled Koopa exclaimed in confusion. It seemed even less right to Luigi.

"They're going to force _Toads_ to enlist in the Koopa Troop?" he thought with wide eyes. No...that was too cruel! Innocent people like the Toad Brigade didn't deserve to be forced to give up their lives in service of the empire that had destroyed their land. This was...this was...

"I hope you enjoy Prince Bowser Jr's generous decree! Have fun, everyone!" Flame said with a smile as the screen turned off. Instantly, the streets were swarmed with Koopas, Goombas, Shy Guys, and other members of the Koopa Troop. Had they been lying in wait this whole time? The minions descended upon the people in the town square, both Koopa and Toad, roughly grabbing them.

"You'll appreciate this opprutunity!" a Hammer Bro said as he grabbed a crying Koopri. A Toad screamed a high-pitched scream as a Mega Goomba knocked him over. Koopa Cruisers just like the one Luigi had rode to the Beanbean Kingdom with were descending from the sky, as the Koopas began to load the the conscripts in.

"Uh, Big L?" Cobal asked nervously. "What should we do?" there was a flock of Paratroopas and Paragoombas streaking through the air towards them.

"Human! Yoshi!" the lead Paratroopa exclaimed sharply. "Stand down! As of today, you have been drafted into the Koopa Troop!"

"Not on my watch, shell-brain!" Cobal shouted fiercely, putting up his fists. Luigi glanced at the terrified Toads been dragged into one of the Koopa Cruisers, and his heart sank when he realized that he would not be able to save them today. There were simply too many people he'd have to fight.

"Cobal, we have to run!" Luigi exclaimed, turning around and dashing down the sidewalk, hoping to the stars that Cobal would follow. To his dismay, he heard a loud smack.

"Yeah! That's what you get for trying to get _me_ into your army, you tyrannical reptile"!

Luigi turned around to see one of the Paratroopas lying on the ground with Cobal standing over him. The others were circling him, like eagles ready to swoop down on their prey. "Cobal!" Luigi cried out, taking a step forward. "We can't-a win this one! We'll save them later!"

"Just you wait one second, old man!" Cobal shouted back at him. "I'm going to prove to you that it can be done!" with that, he leaped into the air, kicking a Paratroopa in the face with his large boot and delivering a heavy smack to a Paragoomba, who was sent flying into the wall of one of the skyscrapers. Cobal angled his fall, obviously intending to squish one of the Paratroopas who had been flying slightly lower...something he would have probably succeeded in, if not for the green-clad Magikoopa who soared in on her broom, casting a spell on the blue Yoshi which imobolized him in the air, his face frozen in an angry snarl.

"Always glad to see you, crowd control." one of the Paratroopas said, giving the Magikoopa a salute.

Luigi was suddenly filled with rage. Cobal was so young, bright and full of potential. He could not let the Koopa Empire take all of that potential away from him! Cobal was his pupil, even if they hadn't been together for too long, and no matter how many Koopas there were, he wasn't going to let him get taken away! "All right, it's Luigi time!" he shouted, rushing forward at top speed. The Magikoopa, escorted by the Paratroopas and Paragoombas, was already flying away, Cobal's frozen body floating behind him! Luigi knew he could make it. He'd always been considered one of the fastest people in the Mushroom Kingdom. His boots glided over the cement, closer, closer...out of nowhere, somebody stuck out their incredibly long leg. Luigi tripped, smashing his nose against the pavement. Pain shot through him, but Luigi forced himself to rise. He was not going to let these Koopas get away...a hand grabbed him by the overalls and dragged him into one of the skyscrapers, throwing him to the floor.

Dazed, Luigi rose to his feet. The place he was in which made up the bottom floor of the skyscraper seemed to be an abandoned item shop, it's mushrooms dry and scattered about the floor. Brushing the dirt of his nose, Luigi prepared to rush out as fast as he could. There was no way that Magikoopa could be that fast! There was still time to rescue Cobal!

"OK, are you stupid?" came a thin, nasally voice. At the sound of the all-too-familiar voice, Luigi yelped. There, standing before him in the centre of the dimly-lit, abandoned item shop was the Man in Purple himself. There was no mistaking the spindly body and the pencil-thin moustache. He was face to face with his eternal rival...the one and only Waluigi.


	14. Greed is Power

**Chapter Fourteen: Greed is Power**

Luigi took a step back, crushing a moldy mushroom that had been discarded upon the floor of the abandoned item shop. Outside, chaos still reigned, with shouts and screams and the sounds of engines all mixing together. Right this second, Cobal could be being dragged into one of the Koopa Cruisers. And yet, at this moment, Luigi could do nothing but stand and stare at the one face he'd never expected to see again.

Waluigi raised one of his eyebrows. "Lookin' kinda skinny, Luigi." he snickered. "Even worse then usual. At this rate you might even catch up with me! Wah hah hah!" he laughed gleefully, seemingly unaware of the situation outside. Luigi glared at him fiercely. He didn't have time for his purple-clad rival's antics.

"G...good to see you, Waluigi." he said politely. "I know you're probably aching for a tennis match since we haven't had one in decades, but not right now." he was inching towards the dusty glass door. "I-"

With surprising speed, Waluigi darted behind him, blocking his path to the door. "What, am I stupid or something? Why would I be wanting to play tennis when there's a million Koopas drafting people outside?"

Luigi sighed...he never knew quite what to think when it came to Waluigi. The man was basically a complete mystery to everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom. There was no way he had time to deal with his weird, random nature right now. "Listen, Waluigi." Luigi said. He was going to be frank here. There was no use wondering what Waluigi...or his brother Wario, for that matter, had been up to in the past years. He wasn't even going to waste time wondering why Waluigi had dragged him into this old shop in the first place. Cobal's freedom was at stake! "Waluigi, I need to go!" he pleaded. He didn't want this to come to blows; that would take far too long to settle. "The Koopas took a friend of mine. I have to get him back, before they take him away to who knows where!"

Waluigi rolled his eyes. "I thought you were supposed to be the smart one." he said dryly, scratching his head as he looked out the window. A trio of Koopa Troopas were chasing down a runaway Toad, finally tackling him to the ground. "That's an entire army of Koopas. Unless you magically can produce a star, it's game over for you." he chuckled to himself, as if an extremely entertaining thought had just come to him. "Hey, I wonder if they'd end up drafting you, too? That would be just too good for words!"

The entire store shook, the dusty bottles of long-expired syrup on the counters shaking. One of Bowser's gigantic new battleships was passing over them again. Luigi sighed, sitting down on the counter as Waluigi gazed at him with crossed arms, still blocking his way out. He had to accept reality. Here he was, out of practice and not a power-up in sight. There was probably a whole castle's worth of Koopas out on the streets right now. Fighting them would not only end with him getting captured, it would alert the Koopa Empire to his presence even more then freeing Toad Town would. The news would spread to every corner of the empire until it reached the ears of Bowser himself. Then the full force of the empire would descend upon the Mushroom Kingdom, and snuff out it's chance of freedom forever.

Luigi heard rockets outside as yet another Koopa Cruiser took off. Cobal was undoubtably gone now. He was no doubt struggling with all his might, yes...but his fight right now was out of his hands. He hoped with all his heart that his training, as brief as it had been, would be some use to him. A wave of despair threatened to overwhelm him, but Luigi pushed it back. He was _not_ useless. He'd helped Cobal in every way possible. He'd given him the skills that would help him survive. Cobal was not the sort of person who would simply lie down and admit defeat. Luigi slid off the counter and walked towards Waluigi.

"You done?" Waluigi asked, tilting his head to one side and staring at him.

"Y...yes." Luigi replied as he approached Waluigi, looking up to meet the taller man in the eye. "Now it's time for you to answer some of my questions. Why are you here?"

Waluigi smirked. "Business as usual." he shrugged. "It was a stroke of good luck I found you. My bro is going to be hyped." he walked passed Luigi, going behind the item shop's counter. As Luigi watched, Waluigi pushed one of the syrup jars aside before smashing his fist against a button that had been hidden behind it. There was a low rumble as part of the wall slid back to reveal a hidden passage. Waluigi looked back with a triemphant expression. "Cool, right?" he asked.

"Uh...yeah." Luigi said suspiciously, coming over to investigate the secret doorway. It led to a steep staircase going down, lit dimly by faint electronic lights. What was this place? Had Waluigi built it? Why would he have a secret passage in the back of an old item shop, anyway?

Waluigi walked through the hidden door down a few steps before gesturing to Luigi to follow him. "Come on!" he urged. "If you actually want to do something, this is the place to go."

As Luigi stepped into the hidden passage, he had mixed feelings. This was Waluigi he was dealing with...a notorious liar and cheater. What if this was all a trap? Wario and Waluigi could be doing it based on their petty grudge...or the Koopa Empire could've payed them a sizable amount of coins to bring him in. Still, he had to admit it was a better choice then facing the troops outside. While Wario and Waluigi had never been model citizens, they had never gotten along with Bowser either. He remembered the only time they'd ever teamed up, at the night of the final match in the Peach Dome Tennis Tournament. The criminals' Bob-Omb launcher had malfunctioned and launched one of the explosives right at Bowser's hot-air balloon. The Koopa King had never worked with them since.

Waluigi pressed a button in the wall which caused the secret door to slide shut. Instantly the already-dim staircase became several shades darker. Waluigi began walking down the steps with Luigi following him. As they went deeper down the staircase, Luigi began to hear the sound of rushing water coming from somewhere near him. Eventually, Waluigi reached a door and pushed it open. Luigi was instantly hit by the unmistakable smell of the sewers. "You know my bro, he's not the kind of guy to live anywhere clean." Waluigi sighed dismissively. Luigi silently nodded as he shut the door behind him and began to follow Waluigi through the sewer tunnel. The sewers were the same as he always remembered them, dimly lit by the lights installed by the city workers more then sixty years ago. As he walked on the stone path that ran alongside the foul-smelling water, he saw several strange black shapes bounce buy. Luigi cringed; Mushroom City never used to have this much Fuzzies. Him and his brother had always kept the sewers free of uninvited guests. He heard the clink of a Sidestepper's claws on the opposite path to his left. Mushroom City really had to be suffering now that it was deprived of it's two greatest plumbers.

Waluigi walked so fast Luigi could scarcely keep up with him. He turned right, then left, then right again, zigg-zagging through tunnels and pipes as if he'd had the entire layout memorized. Even Luigi, who had been down these sewers more times then he could count, had no idea at all where they were going. Thankfully, Waluigi seemed to know the way...he hoped.

The tall and lanky man finally stopped before a large wooden door. Interestingly, this area of the sewers smelt a bit differently, almost as if somebody had sprayed some air freshener around it. Unfortunately, that didn't do much to help Luigi's poor nostrils, since now instead of smelling sewage, he was smelling a very, very strong scent of garlic. This door could only belong to one person. "Well, how about we go on and say hello?" Waluigi asked, swinging the door open wide and pushing Luigi in.

Instantly, Luigi was hit by a blaze of light. Everything in the room before him was gold...pure, glittering gold. One second he was in the sewers...the next second, he was in a palace! He blinked his eyes, trying to adjust to the light of the glittering chandeliers. Unfortunately, despite the room's luxurious appearance, the scent of garlic was still very strong in the air.

The room was crowded with thugs and lowlives of all kinds. Especially prominent were those skinny kinds of Shy Guys Luigi knew were called Bandits, but there were members of nearly every race in the Mushroom Kingdom milling about in the huge, extravagant room. Some of them were counting gold coins, throwing them into colossal treasure chests, while others were punching punching bags set up in a corner of the room. Some were chatting each other about various criminal acts, while others were sitting at desks going over records...records, no doubt, of various illegal activities. Luigi walked down the red carpet with a mixture of awe of fear. Several of the criminals seemed to be looking at him in the same way. Most of them clearly knew who he was. He'd obviously stumbled into the centre of a full-fledged criminal organization...and he knew exactly who was at the top.

At the end of the red carpet, atop a short flight of steps, was a massive wooden desk piled with tresure. Several other bits of gold and jewels were strewn messily around it. At the back of the desk was a gigantic golden chair that was nothing short of a throne...although Luigi was certainly not staring at the chair right now. He was staring at the man on top it...a short, fat, mustachioed man was was lounging on it lazily, picking his nose. Dominating the entire wall behind the desk was a enormous picture of Wario, standing on top of a huge pile of treasure.

When Wario saw Luigi, his eyes bugged out and he leaped nearly two feet into the only, only to come crashing down hard onto his seat's red cushion. "What's this?" he growled. "You're dead!"

"H...hi, Wario." Luigi stammered, feeling intimidated not only by the man's formidable strength but also the incredible amount of wealth and power he'd obviously accumulated over the years. "H...how are things?"

"Just take a look around you!" Wario laughed, getting off his chair and walking around his desk to approach Luigi. "Things are great...but who cares? I want to talk about YOU right now!" He walked up towards Luigi and poked him in the chest. Nervously, Luigi took a step back.

"Brooooo!" came the nasally voice of Waluigi behind him. Luigi turned around to see Waluigi running up the aisle, knocking several crooks out of the way before arriving at his side in a huff. "Found him in the city, trying to pick a fight with da Koopas!" he exclaimed between breaths. "Looks like my boy's back in action, eh?"

"Shut up." Wario growled, punching Waluigi in the chest. The force of the punch was so strong it sent Waluigi flying across the room, slamming into a bespectacled Koopa sitting at a desk and scattering his papers. Completely ignoring the fate of his brother, Wario turned back to Luigi and began to pace back and forth before his desk, flexing his fingers. "All right, listen up, Luigi." he said, with an angry glint in his eye that set Luigi on edge. "Tell me the story. All of it. What happened that night at Toad Town."

While recounting the worst day of his life was the last thing Luigi wanted to do right now, he thought it best to stay on Wario's good side. If he could get the beefy criminal as an ally, that would be a definite step in overthrowing the empire. So, Luigi told Wario the story of the Battle of Toad Town, feeling his stomach contort with shame as he told of how he foolishly allowed himself to be captured by Kammy, and his eyes growing wet as he told of Mario's tragic end. All through the story, Wario seemed to be getting more and more angry. When he got to the part where the bullet bills hit Mario, Wario finally lost it, slamming his fist so hard on his desk that the table split clean in two.

"It's just not fair!" he yelled, his loud voice echoing through the golden hall. He stomped on one of the halves, further demolishing the piece of furniture. "He was MY number one rival, and Bowser took him from me!" Wario whirled around, facing Luigi with a furious face. At least, Luigi could tell, the anger was not directed at him. "Do you know how it felt those first few years, Luigi?" he half-roared, stomping the ground for emphasis. "For five entire years I did nothing wicked, illegal, or mean-spirited at all. What was the fun in it without Mario? Why compete in a kart race if there's nobody to sabotage? Why crash a party when there's nobody's party you want to crash?" he began pacing around the room again, even more frantically then before. To Luigi, he looked about ready to snap. He severally hoped Wario wasn't about to go on some wild rampage. "Bowser's goons were all over the place!" he ranted. "Since I was unaccounted for, I was a wanted man! Everyone wanted to catch me! If I wanted to buy a yacht, I'd have ten airships chasing me before I could pay the last coin. If I wanted to buy a mansion, I'd get Bob-ombs dropped through my bedroom windows. What was the point of getting rich if you couldn't spend it?" Wario clapped his hands together, a sound that hurt Luigi's ears. "So that's why I made this entire thing." he said, his voice getting lower as he threw out his hands, indicating the room filled with criminals. Luigi saw they were all watching Wario now with awe...all except for Waluigi, who looked more annoyed. "My very own organization. I'm gonna make that Bowser pay, Luigi. I'm gonna crush him and all his kids and castles and airships. Then I'm going to loot the royal treasury and take it easy!"

Despite the frankly quite frightening nature of Wario's rant, to say nothing of the dubious criminal activities he was obviously conducting with this organization, Luigi in fact felt quite relieved. He even felt a little exited. "That's great, Wario." he said humbly, coming up next to the muscular man. "I'm working to bring down Bowser, too. Maybe we could work together."

"Exactly." Wario grinned, with a greedy glint in his eye. "On one condition...all the gold old King Koopa's been hiding away belongs to me!"

"L...let's make that a deal." Luigi nodded. Even though some of Bowser's treasure likely belonged to the Mushroom Kingdom and other nations, they were still a small price to pay for the world's freedom.

Wario threw back his head and laughed. "Now that's the kind of answer I was hoping for, Green Guy!" he exclaimed. "Hey, Waluigi!" he yelled down into the hall.

"Yeah?" Waluigi asked, scratching his head.

"Get this wimp some garlic! We're gonna party tonight, and crush Koopas tomorrow!"

"I think I'll pass." Luigi said weakly. While he obviously did not enjoy Wario's company, it was a necessary sacrifice for the Mushroom Kingdom. This huge criminal network would be a huge asset to his goal. Slowly but surely, the path to Bowser's defeat was being revealed. How much more would it take before they were powerful enough to take him on? Luigi didn't know...but for now, he was more concerned about a more immediate problem. Was his young Yoshi protege all right?


	15. Drafted

**Chapter 15: Drafted**

 _Thanks for your continued support of "Fallen Kingdom!" I'd like to share one bit of trivia; the Koopa Empire's new battleships are inspired by a scrapped concept for Bowser's airship from New Super Mario Bros Wii. You can find it at_ post/154273158345/concept-art-for-unused-airship-designs-from-new. _It's the furthest design from the right (the one with the silver Bowser figurehead)._

Cobal sat on a bench in a dimly-lit room packed with Toads. His knuckles were in pain from his failed attempts to punch his way out of the heavy steel door. He could hear the hum of engines underneath him as the Koopa Cruiser rocked from side to side on it's path through the air.

Cobal was infuriated. He looked at his bruised and bloody fist and grimaced. How had he been so weak and useless? After retaking Toad Town, he'd began to think he was a cut above the Koopa Empire's soldiers. Why had that made him think he could take the whole army on? He'd just wanted to save a few Toads...save them from the horror of being made to fight for the nation that enslaved them...but he'd wound up captured himself. And thanks to his desperate attempts to fight his way out, he didn't have near enough strength left in him to resist the Koopas.

The feeling in the dimly-lit cabin packed with over twenty Toads was one of despair. Several Toads were sobbing while others stared at the ceiling with blank, hopeless looks. Cobal glanced at the red-capped Toad sitting next to him, who seemed especially distraught.

"I'm going to die." the Toad gasped, more to himself then any of the prisoners in the room. "I can't fight! I'm going to get blown up, I'm going to get eaten, I'm going to-"

"Be quiet." Cobal glared at him. The Toad looked at him, his face paling. Cobal instantly felt sorry; he was a naturally gruff person and had difficulty controlling his temper. If he was going to follow in the path of the Mario brothers, that was a thing he'd have to fix. "Don't worry about it." he said in less of a harsh voice.

"W...why?" the Toad asked, his voice choking. "We're going to fight for the Koopas! We-"

"Don't worry about it." he said, trying to re-collect his confidence. It was difficult when you were trapped in a Koopa Empire aircraft headed towards an unknown destination. "I'm aiming to make things better. Do you think I'd let a fellow Mushroom Kingdom guy die on my watch?"

The Toad looked a little less frighted when he said that, although he was still sniffling. "T...thanks." he said, wiping a tear from his eye. "I'm S...Shroomer. Who are you? Are you with F...Fire Flower?"

"Nah, I'm not with them." Cobal replied. "The name's Cobal. I'm not some famous Koopa fighter or anything."

Shroomer nodded, although thankfully he still appeared to be calmer then he was before. This was a good feeling, knowing that somebody trusted you and felt safer because of you. Was this how the Mario Bros felt?

While Cobal had expected they'd be in air for over an hour, to his surprise he felt the Koopa Cruiser land ten minutes after his conversation with Shroomer. Almost immediately, the door was flung open and light poured into the cell from the better-lit sections of the Koopa Cruiser. There was a Hammer Bro standing in the doorway, looking at the prisoners with a gruff expression. "Get up." he said crisply. "Follow me and don't make trouble."

Cobal wanted to do nothing more then punch the lights out of the hammer-wielding Koopa, he forced himself to remain calm. Every bit of him was bruised and warn-out. Most likely the Koopas had already marked him as a troublemaker; to make a fuss now would mean skipping the enlistment and heading right to the prisoners. It was better to take advantage of a bad situation rather then leap headlong into an even worse one.

The Hammer Bro lead Cobal and the Toads through the passages of the Koopa Cruiser, over the wood-panelled floors and past the various barrels and crates they kept lying around for who knew why. There were Koopa Troop members at every corner, making sure nobody would try anything funny. The Hammer Bro led them to an exit hatch, and Cobal finally stepped out into the light.

Cobal's first impression of the place the Koopa Cruiser had landed in was that in the pre-Empire days, it had likely been some kind of sports arena. The curving roads suggested it housed some sort of motor sports. That was certainly not going on now, however. The old arena had obviously been picked by the empire for one reason...it's size. There were thousands of people packed inside, assembled on and off the racetrack. It was about as diverse a crowd as Cobal had ever seen...mostly species that traditionally sided with the Koopa Troop, yes, but a shocking amount of Toads and fellow Yoshis. There were five battleships hovering above the stadium, two of them with the same design as the others Cobal had seen, bearing the face of Prince Bowser Jr, with the three three having figureheads modelled after a brown-scaled Koopa with similar, although rougher features. Cobal did not know the names of all of the Emperor's children but it didn't take a genius to figure out that these airships were from a Sector controlled by somebody other then Bowser Jr. It was also clear to Cobal that escape was impossible. They were surrounded on all sides by the rows and rows of seats thousands of people must've used to watch the games. Squinting, he could see Koopa Troop members on patrol there. The entire stadium was more or less a makeshift fortress at this point.

A Lakitu flew up towards them, holding a clipboard. "All passengers of Cruiser 5363, please make your way to Group 69 for sorting." he announced. "Repeat, making your way to Group 69 for sorting."

At an angry grunt from the Hammer Bro, the sullen group of conscripts began to make there way towards Group 69, clearly distinct from the other groups by a large sign next to it. These "groups" were what the conscripts were being divided into in the stadium, and there were dozens of Lakitus hovering around them, making notes. Their shrill voices rang through the air, intermixing with each other so that Cobal could scarcely tell what they were saying. It seemed as if they assigning certain people into groups. Cobal (his bruised legs aching by this point) lined up with the others in Group 69, in the middle of the packed-together crowd of people. He felt absolutely terrible going along with their demands like this, almost as if he was betraying Luigi. "Keep calm, Cobal." he kept telling himself. "You'll get your chance, man. Just wait it out."

Another Lakitu hovered over them on his oddly cheerful cloud. He was carrying a long pointer stick and periodically he would tap somebody on the head with it. One of these people was Cobal. "You're on Strike's squad." he said routinely. "Please report to the _Thwomp,_ it's the Sector 8 battleship in the centre."

"Get a move on!" a Paragoomba guard ordered. Not completely aware of what that meant, Cobal broke away from Group 69 along with a couple other assorted people and began to follow the path directed by the minions towards the huge, looming battleship.

Cobal ascended the steep ramp leading up into the battleship's entrance. This was the closest he'd ever been to one of the gigantic vessels, and he couldn't help but feel intimidated at the cheer about of Bill Blasers that were poking out of the hull or placed on swivelling turrets high up on the superstructure. The interior of the battleship was wooden and lit by warm orange lighting. Cobal and the rest of the chosen conscripts were marched through a tight corridor into a circular intersection which was mostly bare save for a large map of the warship on the wall, as well as the ever-present Koopa Empire banners. They were directed to walk down the corridor to the right. As he walked down the tight passage, Cobal passed several metal doors, which he assumed led to crew quarters and storage rooms. A Shy Guy who had been guiding them through the ship gestured to one of them.

"You'll meet Corporal Strike in there." he announced. "He'll brief you on your duties."

Being the first in line, Cobal opened the unlocked door and walked into the room. The room he stepped into appeared to be some kind of crew quarters. It was very simple; there were eight beds off to one side, and a circular table. There was not even the benefit of windows to let in some natural light; likely because it would compromise the defence. Life as a low-ranked Koopa Troop soldier couldn't be sweet. There was only one person in the room, who Cobal saw to be a Fire Bro. He had his arms crossed and was looking at the new arrivals with a stern expression. Cobal noted the long scar that ran over his right eye. When all the conscripts filled in, the Fire Bro finally spoke.

"Hello everybody. My name's Corporal Strike. As of today, I am going to be your superior."

"Yeah, yeah, we know the drill, son." came a raspy voice from Cobal's left. Cobal turned to see an incredibly scratched-up Dry Bones limping over to Strike's side. "I've been drafted twice before, so the stuff's nothing new to me." he chuckled as he adjusted his head. "Thought I could escape the latest batch o' fights but nah, looks like the stars have nothing but a life o' service for the Koopa King ahead of me!" he laughed again. Cobal thought he didn't seem too upset about the thought, more mildly annoyed then anything.

Strike eyed the Dry Bones over. "Since you're a Dry Bones, you must have a lot of experience." he commented. "You'll be a valuable asset to the team."

The next to step forward was a Goomba wearing a spiked helmet. "You can't imagine how happy I am to meet you, Corporal!" the Goomba exclaimed enthusiastically. "I've always wanted to join the army but Pops wanted me to go spend my life working at his item shop! Man, Prince Bowser Jr must be a great guy if he made a law like this!"

"Or maybe not." came a sullen voice; Cobal saw that it was a Toad with a dark green Mushroom cap. "Listen, Corporal, I'll do my job but I won't do it cheerfully. You Koopas are evil and that is a fact."

Strike narrowed his eyes at the green toad. "You better watch your step, mr." he said darkly. "And it would be best not to judge people around here. I've came across many Toads who've been less then perfect. Even the great Mario, I've heard, was not without his own faults."

The green Toad mumbled something under his breath but moved to join the Dry Bones anyway, along with the Spiky Goomba. The Goomba was staring around at the bare-bones cabin with enraptured eyes.

"I...I..." Cobal looked down, it was none other then Shroomer from the Koopa Cruiser. He was shaking again, which he wasn't surprised about.

"Prince Bowser Jr really must be stupid." Cobal thought to himself. "A guy like this isn't fit for combat at all!"

"My name is Shroomer." he finally managed to croak out, before shuffling over to stand beside the dark green Toad. Cobal could see he was going to need some help.

The remaining three conscripts who had been assigned to Strike came and went.

"This is going to be so cool!" exclaimed a yellow-robed Shy Guy who sounded rather young to Cobal.

"I wonder my my talents will be of use..." mused a Boo.

"Do you think I could tame Chain Chomps or something?" asked an excitable green-hued Bob-omb.

Strike made scarce comments about the recruits, before finally turning to Cobal. He stared straight in the eye. Strike's eyes with bright blue, but seemed cold and hard to Cobal. Somehow, despite Strike not looking too different from the typical Fire Bro aside from the scar, Cobal was slightly intimidated. He seemed so cold, and confidant...

"Yoshi." Strike said in a composed voice. "You're last up. Got anything to say about yourself."

"My name is Cobal." he replied, walking forward to join the rest of them. Really, what else could he say. He couldn't say anything too rebellious, since he was literally in the heart of a Koopa battleship right now. At the same time, there was no way he was going to degrade himself by claiming he was following his biggest dream or something ridiculous like that.

"Welcome to the team, Cobal." Strike nodded. The other recruits gave him passing glances; he hadn't said anything to make himself too interesting to them.

There was a low rumble beneath Cobal and the entire room shook. Cobal instantly realized that the ship had to be taking off. He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Luigi." he thought, feeling the shame and humiliation crush him like a gigantic Thwomp. "I really am..."

"I'd like to all have your attention." Strike said. The scarred Fire Bro began to pace back and forth, as the group watched him. "As I am sure you have all felt, this ship has just taken off. We are headed towards Sector 2, the area ruled by his highness Prince Morton Koopa Jr and composed of Sarasaland and the Sprixie Kingdom. There have been some...disagreements between Prince Morton and Prince Roy, and we have been asked by Morton to help him settle things."

Infighting among the royal family? Now this was something new. An empire divided against itself was far weaker then one that moved as one organism...if only he could get this information to Luigi somehow!

"I'd like to go over a few things." Strike said, placing his hands down on the table as he faced the group. "First of all, I'm your direct commanding officer. While naturally my superiors' words trump mine, for the most part you will report to me and I will give you orders. Is this clear?"

"Yes, sir!" the Spiky Goomba exclaimed, leaping into the air before standing stiffly (it seemed to be the thing Goombas did instead of a salute, Cobal reflected).

"Good." Strike nodded. "As of now, we are heading towards the Sprixie Kingdom. I want all of you to be on our best behaviour, as this is not going to be a short flight. Oh, and one last thing. Welcome to the Koopa Troop."

Somehow, Cobal felt as if he'd ended up doing the exact opposite of what he'd planned when he'd first set off to Mushroom City.


	16. New Plans

**Chapter Sixteen: New Plans**

 _Happy Mario day! I'd like to ask everybody who enjoys this story a question...how do you like the current length I have my chapters? On average I have about 2500 words per chapter; do you think that's a bit short? Would you prefer something more on the lines of 5000 words each chapter? Please tell me your thoughts on this; I don't want anybody feeling disappointed when I update since the new chapter was too short! Once again, thanks you for the reviews and thanks to all my new followers._

Luigi sat in the back seat of Wario's car (which appeared to be a larger, four-seater version of the one he drove in the Double Dash Kart tournament) as the car zoomed over the dirt road leaping through the Mushroom Plains at a high speed, kicking up a cloud of dirt as it went. It didn't help Luigi that the car was a convertible and as such, by the time the car came to a stop at the gates of Toad Town, his outfit was a great deal dirtier then it had been before.

"Don't you think you should've...I don't know, driven a little slower?" he asked timidly as he got out.

"Wha ha ha!" Wario roared as he exited the car along with his brother. "Now that I'm getting back in the game, nobody's gonna hold me to no laws, yah wimp!"

Luigi sighed...why had he even bothered to ask? Turning his thoughts from his unpleasant companions, he entered Toad Town with Wario and Waluigi behind him. The afternoon sun was still high in the air and there was a pleasant breeze drifting down from the plains. To Luigi's surprise, Toad Town was already starting to look a hole lot better. Gazing around as he strolled down the main street, he saw Toads hard at work, repairing the mushroom houses, repainting their fire-scorched roofs, and removing the debris from their gardens. "Hey, Luigi!" cried Banktoad merrily as he stood on the roof of a yellow Toad House, clutching a hammer in one hand. Their were two other Toads with him and they seemed to be in the process of repairing a hole that a stray Bob-omb had caused. "Back so soon?"

"Yeah..." Luigi sighed. He still felt dejected over how terrible his trip to Mushroom City had went, but he forced himself to remain positive. Even though Cobal was now beyond his help, he had still taken a critical step towards freeing the Mushroom Kingdom. "What are you doing up there?" he asked, watching as Banktoad wiped his sweat-drenched brow with a handkerchief. "I thought you were a banker!"

Banktoad shrugged. "Hey, I've done my fair share of mining, too. Figured I might as well try my hand at the hammer since I'm so good with the pickaxe. That's why Toadette made me head of the Repairs and Rebuilding team."

"Oh yeah!" Luigi exclaimed, giving him a thumbs up. It felt so nice to have people actively working with him; there was no way he could do it all alone. "It's looking great so far, Banktoad!"

"Thanks!" the green-capped Toad grinned. "Sorry I can't chat more, Luigi! It's back to work for me!" he went back to hammering down a plank of wood. Luigi didn't miss the distrustful glance he gave Wario and Waluigi. He really didn't blame him, honestly. It could be difficult convincing the Toads that the troublesome criminals were now on their side. Wario and Waluigi were gazing around at the town with intent eyes...but they appeared to becoming more and more disappointed by the second.

"They never change, do they?" Luigi sighed to himself as he continued walking down the road. "Guess they're just now realizing that there won't be anything worth stealing here."

Further up in Toad Town, Luigi saw Toads hauling away the broken chunks of Bowser's war machines that had littered the streets for so long. The Bowser statue in the town square fountain seemed to have vanished into thin air. He wondered how long it would take for there to be a new statue of Princess Peach set up. Just thinking about the Princess made Luigi feel concerned. He hadn't heard about her at all in all the long years since the Battle of Toad Town. Was she being held prisoner by Bowser, yet again? Or was she...dead? Luigi shook his head, clearing his mind of the depressing thought as he walked past the fountain. No matter what had become of the princess, she'd be proud of what they were doing. That was what mattered.

Peach's Castle looked considerably more grand then it had during the Koopa Troop occupation, although there were still many Toads hard at work to remove the scars of Bowser's attack. Luigi stepped through the wooden doors into the castle foyer, as the Toads guarding the door gave Wario and Waluigi suspicious glances. The inside of the castle was the same as Luigi had remembered it, although the painted walls depicting hills and clouds were a bit more faded. There was still the familiar checkered flooring with the ornate sun-like design in the hall's centre, however, and the plush, regal red carpet.

"Now this is more like it." he heard Waluigi snicker behind him.

Luigi heard the sound of a door opening and Toadbert ran out, carrying a heavy book. He nearly dropped it when he saw the group. "By boggity Luigi, you're back...and with those ruffians, too!" he exclaimed in shock, before adjusting his glasses. "Where's Cobal?"

Luigi's face fell. He knew he'd have to explain this eventually. "Cobal was...taken." he admitted shamefully.

"W...what?" Toadbert gasped.

"The Koopas did some kind of drafting thing. They took him, so that they could force him to join the army."

"Preposterous!" Toadbert exclaimed, throwing down the book in anger. "You don't know Cobal like I do, Luigi! He won't stand for that! He'll take out the Koopas as soon as he's inside!"

"That's what I'm hoping." Luigi replied grimly.

"I don't like this at all." Toadbert sighed, leaning down to pick up his book. "Cobal...he was such a bright and energetic youth...you do know his father held the title of Glitz Pit champion before the Koopas took it down, right?"

"N...no!" Luigi replied. This brought the young Yoshi into a whole new perspective. If what he remembered was correct, the glitz pit champion who'd climbed through the ranks faster then anybody aside from Mario himself had, the Great Gonzales Jr, was in fact one of Mario's old friends. In other words, Cobal's dad had gone toe-to-toe with Bowser...twice. Looks like beating up Koopas ran in the family. Luigi glanced at Toadbert, who still appeared extremely concerned. It hurt Luigi that he couldn't do anything to ease the scholarly Toad's worry at the moment, since he himself knew nothing about what had happened to Cobal. "Hey, where's Toadette?" he asked.

"The council room." Toadbert replied. "She's sort of running things around here. I hear she's starting to put together some anti-Koopa defence plan."

"Whoa!" Luigi exclaimed, impressed. "I gotta check that out!"

"Before you go...may I ask..." Toadbert said timidly, "What are _they_ doing here?"

Wario and Waluigi were glancing around the foyer, both looking extremely bored.

"They're...uh...allies, I guess." he replied. "We sort of have the same goal, I think."

"Oh dear. I sure hope this all works out." Toadbert replied, shaking his head before leaving in the direction of another door.

Luigi lead Wario and Waluigi through the hallways towards the council chamber. This was the same council chamber the Princess had held the meeting regarding the "Blorbs" virus in many years ago, it it remained relatively unchanged, with it's blue horseshoe-shaped table. Light was streaming in through the windows and falling upon Toadette, who was manically shouting orders at a stressed-looking Mailtoad who was sorting a bunch of documents.

"Tell Banktoads gang to gather up every old Bill Blaster they find and dump them in the empty lot where Red-Cap's cafe used to be!" she screeched. "And while you're at it, write out an order telling somebody to do something about that crashed airship blocking off Fungi St., it's getting to be a real pain!" she looked up suddenly as she saw Luigi come in. "Luigi!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "And...Wario and Waluigi."

"Hey lady." Waluigi grinned.

"This castle ain't looking too shabby." Wario commented. "Think the Koopas cleaned it out of loot when they took it over?"

Luigi, Mailtoad, and Toadette all shot him dark looks. "Toadette, these guys are going to help us." Luigi exclaimed, resting his hands down on the blue tablecloth. "They're running a huge operation down at Mushroom City."

"A criminal operation?" Toadette asked skeptically. "Can we trust these guys?"

"Oh, you can trust me, all right." Wario scowled. "I may be a scoundrel, yes, but I want old King Koopa out of this kingdom just as much as you do. As long as we can agree on that, I promise there will be NO double-crossing...right, Waluigi?"

He glared at his gangly brother, who shrugged. "Yeah, whatever."

"Well, that's a relief." Toadette sighed, before smiling. Mailtoad still didn't look convinced, though. "Luigi, you have to see what we've been planning!" Toadette said cheerfully, running over to him.

"What?" Luigi asked. "Toadbert was telling me about some defence plan..."

"Exactly!" Toadette exclaimed, brandishing a paper before Luigi's face. It showed a crude sketch of Toad Town which left much to be desired. What was interesting about it however was that the picture seemed to show the town encircled by a wall. There were arrows pointing to certain parts of the wall, with labels saying "Bill Blasters here". There also marks throughout the town labelling where traps would be set and additionally where the escape routes would be. Despite it's appearance, the picture had quite the impact on Luigi.

"This is great!" he exclaimed, taking it from Toadette so he could examine it more closely. He could already see how it was going to work, providing an efficient defence system for a town which previously had no defences aside from the Mario brothers and the extremely ineffective royal guard. "But...how are you going to do all this?"

"Easy!" Toadette replied, twirling around in excitement. "We're all pitching in to build the wall out of all the old Koopa Troop junk, as well as a couple of Toad Houses which are beyond repair. As for the weapons, were gathering every old cannon and Bill Blaster we can find. Toadbert's been researching like mad, trying to figure out a way to fix them. There's more then enough ammo left in this castle from back when it was a Koopa Troop garrison, and I'm one-hundred percent confident Toadbert'll make it work. Have you seen what a whiz he is?"

"Wow, this sounds serious." Waluigi commented. "I almost feel out of place here."

Luigi turned around the face the criminal brothers. "Wario, Waluigi, I want you to get together as much of the gang as you can spare." he said, racking his brain to figure out things they could do. "We need fighters, weapons, vehicles...you think you can handle it?"

"Don't be stupid, Green Mario." Wario growled. "I'm-a Wario!"

Luigi took that as a "yes". He glanced back at Toadette's plans. Could they hold off a Koopa Empire assault? He wasn't sure yet...but he knew that they stood a chance. If they all pitched in together, they _would_ win this.

* * *

Governor Flame sat back in his comfortable red-leather office chair, drumming his fingers on the armrest impatiently. The hottest pop song in the Koopa Empire, a song called "My Beauty Kootie Pie" which was sung by Sector 3's ruler, Princess Wendy (and was by Flame's opinion absolutely terrible), blared on the radio. Corporal Blueshell stood at attention next to his desk, ready to help him with any task he desired.

"Is something wrong, sir?" Blueshell asked as Flame swayed the chair back and forth.

"Quiet, I'm thinking." Flame snapped. He glared at the banner which was hanging at the end of the wall opposite his desk, which, as opposed to being the generic Koopa Empire banner, was Sector 8's special banner, which was orange in colour. The logo on it differed slightly from the ordinary banner in that the hair on the head it depicting with slightly thinner and spiker, since it was supposed to represent Prince Bowser Jr rather than Emperor Bowser. It also represented every problem Flame was going through right now.

"Blueshell, am I a loyal Koopa?" Flame asked, turning to face his assistant.

Blueshell shrugged. "I suppose so." he replied dryly.

"Then why is it I feel such feelings of distaste towards my prince?" he sighed melodramatically.

"Why?" Blueshell asked.

"Well, it isn't his fault, really." Flame said, gripping the armrests tightly as he straightened himself. "It's just that he's the one who's actually fought Mario. He's the Emperor's favourite son, who everybody thinks is going to succeed him. Do you know how hard it is to stand out when you are the subordinate of such a popular Koopa. I know that you'd relate to the feeling, being my assistant, after all."

"You're very relatable, sir." Blueshell replied with pursed lips. He seemed a little irate, Flame noticed. He couldn't imagine why.

"Let me explain my dilemma." Flame exclaimed, falling back on his chair and sinking into the comfortable cushion. "Luigi is back. Nobody knows this but me and you. If I am the one to capture or kill Luigi, I will become extremely famous. I will become the favoured candidate to become the next Grand General after old Shelldon steps down, and, having been the one to have brought down one of the Mario brothers, will become nearly as renowned as the Emperor himself. I will gain exquisite wealth...my own castle which would rival even those belonging to the royal family. I would be able to marry into any high-born family I wished to and my own family line would be elevated above all others save for the Emperors!" his voice was rising in intensity as he continued to speak. Blueshell continued to watch, looking rather bored. "By the time Emperor Bowser is succeeded by one of his childrenand that child has more children and they start looking for heirs, my own son or daughter will be the most eligible by far. Who could pass it up...the idea of a child with the blood of both destroyers of the Mario brothers in their veins? By the time I am old and grey...or perhaps even a Dry Bones, imagine that...I will see my own grandson sit upon the throne of the Koopa Empire! A capital idea, wouldn't you say?"

"Sounds amazing, sir." Blueshell replied. "If you don't mind me asking, though, why aren't you attacking Toad Town right now? We have a strong enough army to crush it. Even Luigi won't be able to stand up to ten of our warships."

"But that's the problem!" Flame responded fiercely, slamming his fist onto the armrest. "If I mobilize an army strong enough to crush Luigi without fault, news will travel to Bowser's Castle fast. Prince Bowser Jr will hear of it, and then he will come storming down to Toad Town with his own fleet, kill Luigi, and take all the credit! I deserve this glory, not him! He already has had his chance!"

"Can't you guys work something out?" Blueshell suggested, with a skeptical look in his eye. "I mean, from what I've heard, Prince Bowser Jr's pretty easy-going. He isn't too ambitious or anything. Definitely one of the better-natured princes, that's what they say. I'm sure he's super busy right now. From what I've heard things are almost starting to look like an all-out war down in Sector 2. He's probably working full-force to help his brother out in driving back Prince Roy's forces. He'd probably appreciate you stepping in and taking out Luigi so he wouldn't have to do it."

Flame sighed; this was why he hated explaining his goals to others. "Blueshell, this the reason you are only a corporal, while I am a general and the governor of the Mushroom Kingdom. If there is even the slightest chance it won't work out for your own benefit, don't take the risk. I need to do this, by myself. I just have to figure out a way to do it without the prince noticing." he straightened himself, before glancing at his assistant. "Get me some tea, it'll help me think."

"Uh...yes, sir." Blueshell replied, leaving the room. Flame propped up his arm with his elbow and rested his head on his hand, looking over the pictures that decorated his office. There he was: receiving his promotion to General, being honoured after his destruction of the Snowmad Armada, sitting at the table with the other members of Koopa High Command...he was the very epitome of what a Koopa Troop member should be. Only this minor inconvenience stood in the way of his path to the top. Once he overcame it, not only would the Mushroom Kingdom finally belong to the empire for good, his position as the Koopa Troop's head officer was all but guaranteed. The future was looking decidedly bright for General Fortugas Flame.


	17. The Koopa Troop

**Chapter Seventeen: The Koopa Troop**

Cobal sat on one of the beds in the dimly lit cabin, eying his new squad-mates with suspicious eyes. He could hear the machinery powering the airship rumbling around him. As of yet, he had not made any attempt to socialize. He didn't feel comfortable getting too friendly with a loyal Koopa Troop member, yet he didn't want to seem like he was conspiring with any of the Mushroom Kingdom recruits. He probably ought to keep an eye out for Shroomer, though. The nervous Toad was going to have it rough. Right now, Cobal thought it best to figure out the people around him from a distance. If he was going to be in the Koopa Troop for a long time, he'd have to know who'd be a problem, who he could ignore, and even, perhaps, who he could trust. Cobal gazed at Corporal Strike across the room with narrowed eyes. The Fire Bro was speaking to the Dry Bones (who Cobal had discovered was named Kooperly) in a serious, low voice. Even though they'd only known each other for an hour, it was clear that he was no Captain Boom Boom. This was an intense, fierce military Koopa who wouldn't take kindly at all to the thought of a sleeper agent in his squad.

Cobal rose from his bed, walking to the table in the centre of the room, shaking slightly. He hadn't gotten used to flying in a big vehicle yet and the slight shaking the battleship experienced as it flew through the air was just a tad bit disorienting for him. Cobal made his way to the table, intending to listen in on some more conversations. He could here the young yellow Shy Guy and the green Bob-omb having an animated conversation to his right.

"So you really train Chain Chomps, Ploder?" the Shy Guy exclaimed, waving his stubby arms animatedly.

"That's right, Masko." Ploder grinned. "I've been doing it since I was eight. It's easy. You just have to know what they like and get good at dodging when they bite!"

"I dunno, sounds a little scary to me." Masko replied, scratching his head. "You think your skills are going to help you make it big?"

Ploder looked like he was attempting to shrug, although the effect was mostly achieved with his white eyes due to Bob-ombs not having shoulders to begin with. "Well...I was kind of hoping to become a professional Chomp trainer, but hey, you might be right about that one! Just imagine the headlines: Fire Flower terrorists eaten by professionally trained Chain Chomp!" he chuckled. "Hey, this military stuff might be fun."

"You kidding? 'Course it'll be!" Masko replied. Cobal turned away. Neither Ploder nor Masko sounded like the kinds of people he'd have to worry about it. They weren't friends of the Mushroom Kingdom, that much was clear, but they didn't seem...evil, either. They probably weren't much older then he was...hey, from the way they acted, they could even be younger.

Cobal left the table, walking past the Boo, who looked at his suspiciously. She'd said little after her introduction. Cobal had overheard Strike speaking to her briefly after the battleship had taken off. From that conversation, he'd learned that she was named Shada and had some kind of stealth skills. Exactly how good stealth skills, he wasn't sure. Either way, she was somebody to watch out for. From the way her red eyes were darting around the room, observing everyone but never really interacting, he'd almost think she was planning something just like he was.

The person Luigi had been intending to talk to, however, was the Toad with the dark green cap. He had spent the entire flight since his introduction standing by the wall close to the door, giving the Koopa Troop members dirty looks. Shroomer was standing beside him (probably because he was the only other Toad in the room), but he seemed to be giving him little to no attention.

"Hey." Cobal greeted him as he approached. The Toad glanced up, his blue eyes shining with hostility.

"Let me guess." he growled. "Another forced recruit."

"You got that right." Cobal replied, glancing at Strike's direction to see if he was in earshot. Even though he wasn't going to say anything openly rebellious, there was no way he was taking risks with this Koopa. Thankfully, Strike was still talking to Kooperly the Dry Bones, as well as the Spiky Goomba (who Cobal believed was named Gerard). He turned back to the Toad and continued talking. "Got drafted right in Mushroom City. I'm guessing it was the same with you. What's your name."

"Fungin." he replied, giving Strike another dirty look. "Yeah, I'm from Mushroom City. Born way before all this Koopa nonsense, which means I got to see it before these creeps smashed it up." his face began dark as his voice deepened. "Why did that good-for-nothing hero have to die on us?"

Cobal nodded in sympathy. He'd often felt jealous of the people who were old enough to remember the pre-empire days; they sounded a whole lot better then the time he lived in! However, he'd never met a Toad who seemed quite as...hateful as Fungin before. "I'd advise not making a fuss." he suggested. "I'm no fan of the empire, but these guys have got us trapped in a cage right now. If you do anything psycho like punch Corporal Strike, it'll just make things worse for recruits everywhere."

Fungin grit his teeth. "That's what I've been telling myself." he hissed, looking down at the floor. "Don't be surprised if it happens, though. There's nothing I'd like better then to give these tyrants a taste of their own medicine."

"Yeah, don't end up wrecking it for the rest of us." Cobal replied, giving him a stern look. Now Fungin was the opposite of Ploder and Masko...somebody who was decidedly pro-Mushroom Kingdom but at the same time was nobody who could be of any help to him. He was much too intense and Cobal felt that he would not be able to trust the green-capped Toad.

Around twenty minutes following the conversation with Fungin, Strike got some sort of message on his shell-shaped phone. When he was finished hearing it Strike put his phone away and addressed his squad. "All right, everyone." Strike announced. "We've touching down at Lava-Lake Keep in a few minutes."

"Thank goodness!" Masko exclaimed, yawning (or at least sounding like he was, since Cobal couldn't actually see what his mouth was doing.) "It feels like we've been inside this ship for ages!"

"I can't wait to see Lava-Lake Keep with my own eyes." Gerard said, hopping up and down on his tiny Goomba feet. "I heard it used to be one of the emperor's own castles...like, one of the ones Mario visited!"

"Then it's certainly quite the landmark." Shada commented, her low, cold voice sounding impressed. Even Cobal couldn't help but to feel intrigued as well. There was some history to this place they were being garrisoned; perhaps it would help him get into the mind of the famous hero himself.

"Everybody, out the door." Strike ordered, walking to it and opening it. "Captain Shyrif is waiting for us." Cobal, quite relieved to be getting out of the stuffy cabin, followed him with the other squad members close behind. As he left the room, Kooperly moved up to him so they were walking side by side. The scratched Dry Bones' bones rattled as he walked.

"It's been a while since I've seen a Yoshi in the army." he said, his raspy voice full of curiosity. "There were a couple of em' back in old Morton Sr's day...real top-of-the-line fighters, they were."

"Glad to see you're so confidant in me." Cobal replied, turning away from him, a bit rudely. While he had nothing against the old Dry Bones personally, it was clear he was a Koopa Troop loyalist through and through. That wasn't the kind of person he ought to get close to.

"A bit mouthy, are you?" Kooperly chuckled. "Ah well. Look forward to fighting alongside you, son." he clapped Cobal on the shoulder. His hand felt cold to the touch and Cobal shuddered. He wasn't quite sure if Kooperly was somebody to be wary of, or a simple nucience yet.

"While we're heading out, I suppose I should brief you on the way things work here." Strike called out as they walked through the thin wood-panelled hallway. "For those who don't know already, the Koopa Troop is divided into garrisons, which, in turn, are divided into squads. All of us together make up one squad...I, Corporal Strike, am your boss. Captain Shyrif is the head of our garrison...he's my boss, which naturally means he's your boss too. Above the captains are the colonels, who each control several garrisons; the number differs with each individual depending on necessity and the colonel's experience. Finally, above the colonels are the generals, who typically are in command of armies composed of tens of thousands of soldiers divided up into countless little squads like ours. That means that if one of them gives a little minion like you an order, it trumps everything. Finally, the Koopa Troop's top twenty generals are part of an administrative group called Koopa High Command, which runs most of our military structure and is in charge of developing strategies for major conflicts, financing, and rules and regulations. All of them have serious levels of experience under their belts...many of them have even fought Mario before. Finally, at the very top of the ladder is the Grand General. He's our supreme commander except when the royalty or the Emperor's chief advisor are involved. To put things simply, he's _everyone's_ boss. Got that?"

Everyone nodded. "With this much structure, it's no wonder the Koopa Empire has managed to stay so song." Cobal reflected as he continued walking down the corridor, following Strike. "Still...there's no structure that won't crumble if it's hit hard enough."

* * *

Cobal could hear the roar of engines and the chatter of many voice as he continued walking through the ship. Eventually, Strike led them through the ship's exit. Stepping down onto the ramp, Cobal beheld, for the first time, the Lava-Lake Keep. The sun was setting, tinting the sky a warm orange and bathing everything in shadow. That, however, did nothing to diminish the sheer size of the fortress. It was, strictly speaking, less of a single castle and more of a massive military camp...a military camp that was probably larger then Toad Town itself. It seemed to be floating in the sky somehow, and was surrounded on all sides by flowing channels of lava and high walls made of brown bricks. Everywhere Cobal could see, there was small barrack structures and dozens of docking bays for battleships...most of them bearing the face of Sector Two's Morton Koopa Jr. He could see probably thousands of Koopa Troop members either being drilled into formation or speaking to each other in groups, and, in the sky, there were Koopa Cruisers and battleships taking off and coming in as if there were no end to them. Silhouetted against the sky was the gigantic main citadel of Lava-Lake Keep, a collossal, spiky dome surrounded by pointed towers. This was it, Cobal thought as he reached the bottom of the ramp, the roar of engines resounding overhead. This was the true might of the Koopa Empire.

"Now this is what I was talking about." he heard Gerard gasp behind him.

Standing at the foot of the ramp was a Shy Guy, who was wearing greyish-blue robes. While as always it was difficult to tell a Shy Guy's real mood, he seemed to be in high spirits. "Perfectly on time, corporal, perfectly on time." he was saying to Strike, before sweeping his gaze over Cobal and the people behind him. "Is this your new squad? They're quite promising-looking, if you ask me."

"We'll see about that, Captain Shyrif." Strike replied. "How are things here at Lava-Lake Keep?"

Shyrif shot a look at the main fortress. "Tense and dismal, I'm afraid." he replied. "According to Governor Motley, it seem likely that this will escalate into a full-fledged civil war. There's fierce fighting all around Sarasaland and our spies have caught wind of a fleet of Prince Roy's battleships heading to the Sprixie Kingdom as we speak." he turned back to Strike and seemed to stare at him intently. "Your new garrison may have to fight to prove itself soon, Corporal Strike. Far sooner then we hoped."

"Then we'll show them the way a real Koopa Troop member behaves, sir." Strike replied respectfully.

"Very good." Shyrif nodded. "I'd like all of you to get housed up in the barracks as soon as possible. It's getting a little late and I'm not so cruel as to put them through a training drill first day at the keep."

"Very good, sir." Strike nodded, before turning around to face his squad. "Follow me."

Cobal followed the officer away from the landing platform, along with the others. It was blisteringly hot; why had the Emperor put so much lava in this castle when he'd built it? He passed fellow squads of Koopa Troop members, noting the people who had to be conscripts. It was going to take all his willpower not to launch some night rescue mission or something. This place made Mushroom City look like Luigi's house. He'd always been a cocky, quick to act person...that was why he'd gotten into the trouble that had led him to Luigi in the first place. There was no room for error here, though. He was going to have to use strategy, even though he hated thinking things through when it came to action. The shadow of a battleship passed over him, causing him to shudder. If things were like this in Sector Two, just what was it like in Koopa Central?

Eventually Strike came to a stop at a squat brown-brick building off to the side of Lava-Lake keep's main road. Cobal had walked by several of these buildings while following Strike; they seemed to be used for troop quarters and storage. "Here's where you'll be staying." Strike announced, gesturing to the simple structure. "As of now, until we're re-located, this is your home."

"Wouldn't want it any other way." Gerard sighed romantically. Cobal had to suppress scowling at him; the over-devoted Spiky Goomba was going to be no help to him at all.

"Hey, you heard the stories about this place?" Masko said to him, gesturing at the big, domed fortress. "People used to call this place "World Castle", you know, because it was so big. Supposedly in that huge fortress there's some big lake of lava with a bridge leading over it, and once the Emperor rode down that bridge in his snazzy sports car chuckling exploding soccer balls at the Mario brothers! You think that's true?"

Gerard scoffed. "Obvious not." he replied. "The Emperor would never do something that ridiculous."

* * *

To his great surprise, Cobal found the barracks surprisingly cozy. Sure, it wasn't like he was back home at Toadbert's house or anything, but it was a lot better then the cabin onboard the battleship. His room was simple; just a cot bed built into a wall, a nightstand, and a bookshelf with four books on battle tactics. There were two cots to each room, meaning he'd be having to deal with a roommate. Thankfully, that roommate turned out to be Shroomer.

"Cobal, this is so insane..." Shroomer gasped, throwing himself down onto his bed. "There are Koopas and battleships and stuff EVERYWHERE! I bet my grandma thinks I'm dead..."

Cobal sat down on his bed and gazed at Shroomer seriously. "You aren't dead yet, man." he told him. "And if you play it safe you won't be dead 'till you're an old mushroom. I've fought guys before. Here's a tip...stay away from the big guys...you know, the people you know you can't beat." he admitted to himself that he had trouble following that advice, but he didn't think Shroomer would.

"Wait, you've fought before?" Shroomer exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "Who?"

Cobal placed his blue-skinned finger to his lips as a sign of silence. There was no way he was going to be sharing Koopa-fighting stories deep within a Koopa Empire stronghold.

"Ohhh..."

Somehow, Cobal was under the impression that Shroomer's opinion of him had grown even larger.

* * *

After checking out his room, Cobal decided to head to the barracks' common room, which was also surprisingly cozy. It was a medium-sized room with a fireplace (more for aesthetic appeal since the lava provided more then enough heat), a small TV that hung over the mantle, and several leather seats and couches that surrounded it. The rest of the squad were all gathered around, discussing there new home. Out of the window Cobal could see it was getting late, although the lava and the countless lights made sure Lava-Lake Keep would never get dark. "My first night in the Koopa Troop, huh." Cobal thought to himself as he sat down on an empty spot on the couch, with Shroomer following him. It was obvious that the Toad was going to be shadowing him for the majority of the time he'd be around these people. He had mixed feelings about the idea; on one hand, he wanted to keep the frightened Toad safe, on the other hand, he could definitely get in the way of any potential sabotage he could do in the future. As of now, though, he'd play it by ear.

"So, what do you guys all think about Lava-Lake?" Gerard asked from Cobal's right, standing up on one of the seats. "Pretty cool, right?"

"Yeah!" Ploder replied. "I was thinking it would be all industrial and stuff, but this brick has a kind of charm to it."

"I can almost believe I've been transported back in time to the Mario Brothers days!" Masko sighed. He was sitting next to Cobal on the couch. "Man, what would it be like to fight them?"

"Painful." Kooperly put in, rubbing the top of his skull. "I only met Mario once, doubt he remembered me. I was just Dry Bones #26 to him, more likely then not. I was down in a second."

"Whoa!" Masko gasped. "Guess I'm glad he's not around anymore."

"I'm just curious about the war." came the low, quiet voice of Shada. She was hovering next to Gerard. "The captain sounded serious. I wonder...how soon are we going to have to fight?"

"Soon, mark my words." Strike put him. He was on the seat to Cobal's left. "My father served in the Troop pre-empire, back when the royalty interacted with the troops on a more day-to-day basis. They all used to call Prince Roy "Bully Koopa" to his back. He was always pushing around the younger ones and causing trouble. I'm not surprised he's trying to stage a coup." Strike leaned back on the seat. Cobal could see his scarred face looked troubled. "It makes me mad, you know. There are probably good Koopas working under him, but they're going to be forced to fight in this awful cause. I don't know about you, but it's like the Koopa Troop gets watered down more day after day. It hardly has any honour any more. It's full of officers who are just out for themselves, people like that disgusting General Flame back in Sector Eight."

Gerard gulped. "Uh, corporal? Didn't we just go over this? He's a governor, a general, and a member of High Command! He's like, your boss times three."

"Being a boot-licker doesn't get you anywhere, Gerard." Strike responded seriously. "We're not required to worship our leaders...we just have to obey their orders. Besides, we're not in Flame's jurisdiction anymore. Nobody's going to get in trouble if we express our discontent."

Gerard nodded. This exchange intrigued Cobal. He'd never really thought of the Koopas having "standards" at all before. Everybody at the Toad Town garrison seemed to be one-note bullies and jerks. He'd sort of fallen into the trap of believing they all were united under the common cause of opressing the Mushroom World. "Guess nothing's really that simple, isn't it?" he thought to himself.

"Yah know, sir, you have a point there." Kooperly spoke up. He had the seat closest to the fire on Cobal's right. "I've been in the Koopa Troop a long time. Joined when I was fifteen, way back when old King Morton was on the throne. I fought in the Mushroom War, the campaigns against Mario, the Conquest War, and it looks to me like I'm gonna be fighting in this one, too. Pardon me for saying this, but when his royal highness Emperor Bowser first took the throne, the troop's honour started to deteriorate. We became, well..." he seemed a little uncomfortable speaking like this, as if he was trying to avoid bad-mouthing the emperor. "A little...lazy? I mean, back before the Conquest War, all we did was be his goons on those kidnapping schemes of his."

"Those were real?" Gerard perked up in disbelief. "I find it hard to believe..."

"Kid, we're working for a Koopa who used to go Go-Karting with his enemies on his off days. Don't believe the propaganda. There really was a time when the Koopa Troop used to be, well...a bit of a joke, to be honest."

"You can't be serious." Cobal found himself speaking. The image in his mind was too ridiculous to be believed. He couldn't reconcile it with the seemingly invincible empire and it's shadowy, all-powerful ruler. He faced Kooperly, confusion on his face. "You talking about the same Koopa here? The Emperor Bowser who killed Mario and then went on to take over the entire Mushroom World?"

"Yup." Kooperly nodded. "Guess you young folk only know him as the emperor. Believe me, back when he was only the King of the Koopas he was way more down-to-earth. Practically ruined the Troop, though, getting his teenaged kids to lead big military operations and promoting people seemingly at random. It was far better in his father's day."

Strike nodded. "I can imagine." he said. "Kooperly. You say you fought in the Mushroom War?"

Kooperly nodded, his skeletal head creaking. "You got it, son. That was when I died. Got reborn as a Dry Bones a year o' too after that alien invasion I've heard some people go on about, the Shobes or whatever."

"Mind telling us about it?" Strike asked, leaning forward. His face and voiced seemed to belong to a different Koopa from Cobal's point of view; less stern and gruff and more youthful and full of interest. "I've always enjoyed that period in Koopa Kingdom history."

Kooperly gave a raspy chuckle. The fire reflected off his face, tinting his grey bones a flickering orange. "Oh, I'll tell you, all right." he replied, his bony lips twisting in a smile. "It was a time to remember, kids. A time of both honour and danger...the ideal Koopa Troop."

"Quit going on about honour." came a glum voice from Cobal's left. As he expected, it was Fungin. "You Koopas don't have any of it." he scowled. "All you do is destroy things."

Kooperly didn't seem angry or offended...in fact, he seemed more amused. "Ahh, that's what you all think." he said, his yellow eyes shining in the faint light. "Let me tell you one thing, son. Their's honour and their's evil in every said, whether they be Mushroom or Koopa. There was lots of it in the Mushroom War. My side did some things I've downright ashamed of, and it did some things I'm still proud of to this day. War's no fairy tale, kiddo. Even that Mario you Toads admire so much did some downright awful things."

Fungin didn't answer, although he seemed a little more thoughtful.

"What was the Mushroom War like?" Masko asked, his youthful voice full of curiosity. "We didn't talk about it in school much."

Kooperly chuckled. "You can chock that up to the Emperor's ego...he likes everything to revolve around him. Only thing he ever did to honour his father was to name Prince Morton after him...when Morton Koopa Sr was a way better Koopa then he was, in my books anyway." he swept his gaze over the audience, a smirk on his face as he began to tell his story. "Picture this." he said, gesturing with his arms for emphasis. "Every single volcano in the Koopa Kingdom has just irrupted at once. There are clouds of ash covering every inch of the kingdom and the sun's light can't touch any of it. The fertile lands are unable to grow crops, leading to the biggest famine we've had since 1302. So what does King Morton do? The only thing he could do, really. Take land from the lush neighbouring kingdom, untouched for the most part by the ash cloud. His enemies say he got greedy and tried to take too much, his supporters say he just did what he had to do. Who was right? I can't say. Anyway, that was the beginning of the war, the hugest war both kingdoms had had for ages. It was the first war in which we'd ever used explosives, and, new technology aside, our Magikoopas got to try out their large-scale offensive spells which had never been used to their full extent before. Of course the Mushroom Kingdom fought back...it was a lot stronger in those days, you know...so before you knew it, there was a bloody war being raged with magic and technology running wild on both sides."

Cobal listened closely, hanging on to the old, undead Koopa's every word. Somehow this interested him. It was a period of history he'd never heard about, and even though he was the kind of guy who kept his mind to the present, the idea of a war that was deadly to both Toads and Koopas was something new to him. Growing up in such an atmosphere of oppression, he'd always seen the Koopas as pure evil and had never tried to see things from their side before.

"The main guy heading the Mushroom Kingdom army was this fellow called Antonio." Kooperly continued, emphasizing Antonio's name with a thick accent. It was clear he was enjoying telling the story. He was a fighter to be remembered, believe me. Sure, I'm just a simple Dry Bones so it's not like I can go toe-to-toe with the pros, but still...back in the days when I fought Mario, he never scared me much, even though he always beat me no problem. He was like nothing compared to Antonio...the man moved like a flash of light, dealing death wherever he touched. People call him "History's Strongest Man"...although naturally King Morton wasn't too far off. They were the same way Mario and our very own emperor were back in their prime, only with the kind of power that could shake the very world to it's knees. Naturally casualties were high. I was one of them." he gave an embarrassed smile, rubbing the back of his neck. "It was no heroic death, believe me. I was in the middle of the army when Antonio and Morton started to fight...there was some huge explosion that must've killed hundreds on both sides. Some chunk of rock hit me in the neck, it broke, and I died. Pretty anti-climactic, right?"

"Hey, you did your duty." Strike replied.

"Hey wait, you can't leave us hangin' like that!" Cobal exclaimed. He'd gotten too caught up in the story for it to end that abruptly. "What happened to Antonio and Morton?"

"Well, I was dead when the war ended, so I can't give a firsthand account." Kooperly replied. "Supposedly they went head-to-head one last time in Morton's Castle. There was a massive explosion which ripped the entire castle apart, and they both died. The Koopa Kingdom underwent a minor succession crisis which was ultimately one by the Magikoopa Kamek, who acted as regent until he guardian, our emperor, was old enough to assume the throne. As for Antonio's legacy, well...if you'd have seen the faces of both him and Mario, you'd know they were related. Unfortunately for all your mushroom kingdom folks Antonio was an extremely private man, there isn't even a single photograph of him, so there's no way to prove he's the father of the Mario Bros. I doubt the brothers ever heard of him, except in passing."

"Now that's something I haven't heard before." Cobal admitted, pondering it over in his thoughts. Did Luigi know about the Mushroom War? If so, he had to tell him. He honestly had no idea why he wouldn't have figured it out himself, especially since there had to have been lots of people from that age who would have known about Antonio. Come to think about it, that was especially odd, even if he was a very private figure.

"My my, you're quite the knowledgeable Koopa." Shada commented.

"Glad I don't live in that time." Ploder shuddered.

"This has all been very interesting, but we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Strike announced, standing up. "I want all of you to get good sleeps tonight. We could be called into the battlefield as early as tomorrow. Let's let Kooperly's story inspire us to act with honour like the Koopa Troop of Morton's time against people like Prince Roy, who tarnish it's name."

"Can't argue with that one, sir!" Gerard exclaimed.

Cobal walked back to his room, Shroomer following.

"A...are we really going to have to fight tomorrow, Cobal?" Shroomer asked, shaking as they entered the room.

"Remember, play it safe." Cobal advised him. "Doubt we'll be on the front lines 'cause we're so new. Unless someone drops a Bob-omb on us, we shouldn't be in that much danger."

"That's not helping, Cobal!" he exclaimed, half-shrieking. Cobal wasn't really listening to him, though. His thoughts were more on the conversation in the common room...how there were honourable Koopas and evil Koopas, and how the Koopa Troop had changed so much over the years. Somehow, he felt like he had learned more about the Koopas in this one evening then he had in all eighteen years of his life. He was still devoted to destroying the empire, of course. Nothing could change that. However, there was one thing that was now clear in his mind; nobody in his squad was a bad person, no matter which side they were on. In the upcoming battles he knew he'd have to face on the Empire's side, he would not abandon them. This "Prince Roy" was definitely a problem, far worse then likely anybody at Lava-Lake Keep. Driving back his army would help keep innocent people of Sector Two safe. Naturally he'd still do some sabotage from time to time, he wouldn't be able to hold that back. He'd try to connect with the other conscripts, tell them about Luigi's resistance, and all that kind of stuff. But in the coming conflict, he was going to give it his all. If there were going to be a Koopa in charge, he'd rather it not be the one nicknamed "Bully Koopa".


	18. Not Exactly Brotherly Love

**Chapter Eighteen: Not Exactly Brotherly Love**

 _Hey everyone, thanks to whoever read this story. Regarding the last chapter, I'm concerned that some of you could've thought of the character, "Antonio" as a Gary Stu since he's an original character who's supposedly a protagonist stronger then Mario. That's not my intention at all for this character; as you'll learn more about him and the other people connected to the old Mushroom War, you'll see what I mean. I'm not going to pull any cards like, for example, resurrecting him as a giant cheat code who kills the whole Koopa Empire and is loved by the entire cast. Regardless, if you any of you still have concerns about Antonio feel free to ask me about them. Thanks for all the reviews, I can't believe Fallen Kingdom's almost at 100!_

* * *

Rain was pouring down hard upon Neon City. Roy could here it pounding down on the roof of his castle, distracting his thoughts. Raindrops rolled down the huge window he was staring out of it, obscuring his vision so that the bright city before him looked like a blur of lights. Roy paced back and forth down the empty corridor, anxiously. The clock that hung above him chimed twelve. Larry _still_ wasn't here yet.

Roy did not want to meet with his younger brother. He did not want to discus alliances, or that stuck-up prig Ludwig von Koopa. What he wanted to do was destroy things. His invasion of Sector Two was going wonderfully. He did not need "help". That older brother of his had been scheming since the time they'd been in Koopergarten, and that sneak Larry had always been his little crony, trying to pick some scraps off the table while Ludwig seized the whole feast for himself. Roy swung around, peering at a painting that hung on the wall, lit by the dim violet torches. It had been painted only two years after the fall of Mario, back when he still looked like a teenager and hadn't hit his growth spurt yet. Yup, there he was, crushing a statue of Mario with his feet while Toad Town burned in the background. One of the greatest things about having your own castle was that the pictures in it could show you, and only you. No Ludwig, no Bowser Jr...not even any of old King Dad. Perhaps one day, Roy thought, that would not be a thing exclusive to this castle.

"Uh...Prince Roy, sir." came a business-like voice from behind him.

"Yeah?" Roy replied, turning around to see a green Magikoopa hovering on his broom.

"The Koopa Cruiser of Prince Larry is set to land in fifteen minutes. It's approaching Neon Castle as we speak."

"Finally." Roy grunted, pushing past the Magikoopa and stomping down the hall. "Thought he'd take all night."

The rain fell on Roy's bald head as he stepped out onto the castle walls, heading towards the landing pad on the roof of the southeastern tower. His heavy feet made a splashing sound as he stepped over the soaked grey bricks. Around him, the skyscrapers of Neon City rose up like a garden of lights. The sky was completely covered in clouds, although Roy could make out one light that was gradually getting closer. His hand tightened into a fist. _He_ had arrived.

The rocket engines slowed to a rumble as the Koopa Cruiser deployed it's landing gear, cruising into a safe landing on the tower. There was a hiss as a hatch in the side opened and, automatically, a boarding ramp extended. Then, without further ado, Prince Larry Koopa left his ship.

Prince Larry was large, but perhaps not quite as large as Roy. In fact, if one were to compare him to his father, he'd probably have been a few inches short. Regardless, Larry was still far larger and more powerful then he had been in his youthful Mario-fighting days, more then twice the size of a regular Koopa. Larry brushed back a lock of hair from his blue mohawk as he reached the bottom of the ramp, before gazing out of the magnificent city and sighing.

"Neon City!" he exclaimed, before turning to Roy. He had that same charming expression on his face as he always had...the kind that had always annoyed Roy and didn't look the slightest bit trustworthy. "Pretty nice place you've got here, Roy." he grinned. "How are the casinos? What's the betting scene here like?"

"For crying out loud, Larry, I'm not letting you ruin my city!" Roy roared, stomping his foot and sending up a splash of water. He narrowed his eyes at his brother, who was still smiling at him in that obnoxious way, completely unfazed. "Are we here to discus things or not! Because if not you can leave!"

"I'm glad to see you're still the Roy I remember." Larry replied, walking over and giving him a pat on the shell. "Why, if you attitude was even slightly good I'd begin to think you were replaced by an imposter!"

Roy growled, moving away from Larry. He was getting wet and cold and had no desire to be out here longer then necessary. "Let's take this inside." he said, still glaring at his brother.

"Oh, of course!" Larry nodded. "Got anything to drink?"

Roy didn't bother answering. He just walked back into the castle, releived to finally be in a place with a heater. Of course, Larry followed him down the hallway. "I'm still in awe of this sick city you've build, Roy." he blabbered on. Roy was trying to tune him out. "I always thought you were going to end up living in a cave or something, but no, you just go on ahead and build the craziest, coolest city in the empire! Almost makes me regret the direction I took my own sector." he chuckled to himself. Roy recalled the day where their father had divided up the world between them; Larry had been given Sector One, which was composed of Rogueport and the surrounding lands. From what he'd heard, visibly the land was much like it had been in the pre-empire days. However, he'd also heard that it was like Larry himself: innocent and unthreatening on the outside, full of deception and deceit on the inside. He'd never been there himself and had no desire to go.

Roy finally reached the door he'd been walking towards. He pushed it open, walking into his private bar. The bar was lit with dim purple lights like most of Neon Castle, and had shiny, reflective black floor and a massive panoramic window looking out over the city. The bar was being manned by a crisp-looking Boo with a bowtie, who upon seeing them instantly began the preparation of Roy's favourite drink. It was large enough to comfortably seat twenty people, although there were seldom that many inside. It was called "private" for a reason.

"Now this is what I'm talking about!" Larry exclaimed, gazing around the room as he slowly walked in. "It's almost as good as my own Hooktail Castle nightclub!"

"Shut up." Roy growled. "I don't wanna here about what you've got." he sat down on his favourite seat at a table in the centre of the room. The Boo flew over towards him was a massive mug full of extremely strong Bob-omb Beer...his favourite.

"Would you like anything, sir?" the Boo asked, floating towards Larry.

"Yeah, totally, one Shooting Star Martini." Larry replied quickly. "And put one of those little umbrella things in it too, it makes it look classy."

Roy gripped his hand into a fist and clenched it so hard his claws pricked his skin. "Quit playing around, punk." he said loudly. "My people aren't being paid to work for YOU!"

"Ahh, just checkin' out the Neon City culture!" Larry protested with a huge grin on his face, easing into the seat in front of Roy. "What wrong with that?"

"Everything." Roy hissed. "Now let's get down to business before I punch your stupid face up. What does Mr. Kooky von Koopa want?"

"Our dear brother Ludwig!" Larry exclaimed as the Boo brought him a bright blue drink in a tiny martini glass...with the umbrella, as requested. "What else do you think he wants? He wants you to, well, you know, _chill_ a little bit. Maybe ease up on the invasions. And not to go attack the other Sectors yet. We don't want to bite off more then we can chew."

Roy had expected this answer, but it still infuriated him. Why did Ludwig think he was in charge? They were adults now, living halfway across the world from each other! Yes, sure, they had met when they had discussed the possibility of overthrowing their father. It had been Ludwig who had convinced him that they actually had a way to win against the combined forces of all their siblings, and the one who had suggested attacking Morton first. But there was no way he was going to play minion to that poofy-haired wimp. "Tell Ludwig to go back pounding on that piano of his." Roy responded, slamming his fist on the table so that it cracked slightly. "I make the rules around here."

Larry took a tiny sip of his martini. "Ahh, but you've forgotten something." Larry replied, giving Roy another infuriating grin. "You may have a lot of brawn, Roy, but you're severely lacking in the brains department. We are going to overthrow an empire that controls the whole world. Together, our alliance only has power over three-ninths of the Koopa Empire. Don't you think we'll be crushed?"

Crushed? Tiny wimpy Larry talking about _him_ being crushed? Now that was a joke. "I'm _not_ getting crushed, Larry." Roy hissed, leaning closer so that Larry's face was reflected in his glasses. "They are. That's just the way it's gonna be."

"Without Ludwig, you have no strategy." Larry continued as if Roy had said nothing, the expression on his face never changing. "You have no foolproof way to take out the rest of our siblings...and Pops, of course. You need the brand-new airships and weapons that he is creating for our side, and the connections he has in the Mushroom World." Larry laughed, taking another sip of his martini. "Like it or not, big bro Ludwig's running the show right now, Roy. You decide to split from him, you split with me. That means you won't get the help of my very own private "Larry League"...you know, my little group of friends that are so good at getting into places they aren't meant to get into and overhearing conversations nobody was supposed to here. Without that, Roy, you're going to go splat quicker then a sick Goomba!"

Roy stood up, anger flowing through him. Larry was right; it was almost like he was trapped. Ludwig had, as he always did, manoeuvred him into a position that was impossible to get out of. If he wanted to have even the slightest shot at the throne he was going to have to take orders from a Koopa who must definitely wanted that same throne for himself. Not able to take it anymore, Roy drew back his leg and quite abruptly kicked his chair as far as he could. It went flying over the bar, smashing into the expensive drinks stored behind it. The rather nervous-looking Boo immediately began to mop the mess up. "Why are you so content with being his little minion, huh?" Roy exclaimed, whirling on Larry and slamming his hands on the table so hard that it shook. Larry was staring at him in such a smug way that if he hadn't have been so keen on this alliance, he would've given him an old-fashioned Roy Koopa beatdown right then and there.

Larry shrugged. "You know me." he replied. "It's too much work being the main man. A guy like me has plenty of opportunities sticking around a guy like Ludwig. Ruling my Sector got old years ago. What's the use of all my lovingly crafted talents if I can't ever use them?"

"Just get out." Roy said darkly, glaring at his brother. "Fine! Tell Ludwig I'll do what he wants. And, uh, make sure you get your spy people to get on it, too!" he began walking to the bar's exit, as Larry calmly sipped his drink. He turned around, standing in the doorframe. "Don't get used to this, punk." he growled, before slamming the door.

Inside the bar, Larry finished his Shooting Star martini. He leaned back and sighed. "My place does it better." he decided.


	19. Cobal on the Front Lines

**Chapter Nineteen: Cobal on the Front Lines**

 _Sorry this chapter was a bit late. I can't stress how thankful I am to everyone for giving this story so much support. As of this chapter's publishing, we have over 5000 views and 100 reviews! I'm glad so many people are enjoying this story and that only motivates me even more to keep on writing quality chapters. Hope you stick with me to the end!_

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Cobal was very rudely awakened by a loud alarm blaring through the barracks. He rubbed his eyes, getting up from his bed and looking around the small room made of brown-brick walls that he was staying in in Lava-Lake Keep. Across the room from him, Shroomer was already awake, his blue eyes wide with fright.

"Cobal! What is this?" he exclaimed, getting out of bed. "Are we being attacked?"

"Beats me." Cobal replied, striding towards the door. If they were being attacked, it better be by Roy Koopa's forces and not by some Mushroom Kingdom rebels.

Everyone in the squad were already central room of the barrack, where the squad had had the fireside chat with Kooperly. Nobody was sitting down on the leather couches now. They all looked tense and confused.

"What's going in?" Masko asked Strike as he smoothed out his yellow Shy-Guy robe, which was still wrinkled from sleeping in it. "Why is there this alarm? Is this normal?"

"No." Strike nodded. "But don't worry. If we were being attacked, I'd know already." the Fire Bro turned to the door. "I'm just waiting for Captain Shyrif to get here. He'll have a better understanding of the situation then I do."

The group waited in tense silence, mumbling among themselves. "This can't be a simple matter, with that outrageous alarm." the purple boo Shada mused, as she hovered above the rest of the squad. Cobal began pacing back and forth in anticipation. He didn't like feeling of uncertainty at all. Plus, the thought of Luigi was weighing heavily on his mind. While Luigi was probably working hard to overthrow the Koopa Empire, here he was being rudely shoved out of bed by the same Koopas!

Finally, the green-robed figure of Captain Shyrif stepped through the door. "Step to it, men!" he said briskly. "We've just had a report come in from our people in Conkdor Canyon. There's a fleet of battleships approaching fast and they've got Prince Roy's symbol all over them!"

Strike nodded grimly. Cobal could see he had expected this. "So he's hitting not just Sarasaland, but the Sprixie Kingdom as well." the Fire Bro spoke, nodding his head. "By my shell, this is turning into a full-on war."

"Aye, you're right about that, corporal." Shyrif nodded. "Mark my words, it won't be long until the entire empire's involved."

The Spiky Goomba Gerard instantly leaped onto the back of one of the leather chairs at that statement, catching the eye of his superiors. "It'll be all the better for that!" he exclaimed. "The Koopa Empire does not need traitors like Prince Roy! Without him, it'll stand strong!"

"Ah, that's the spirit!" Shyrif chuckled. He turned, walking out the door. Cobal could see through the doorway that Lava-Lake keep was in a flurry of activities, Koopa Troop members rushing every which way with some shouting orders at the others. "We will take a battleship to the Canyon as soon as possible." the captain announced. "We need to meet the Roy's forces as soon as possible. We can not let him think he can have his way and spit on the pride of the princes Morton and Bowser Jr!

"Yes, sir!" Gerard shouted joyfully, leaping up again.

As they began walking out of the barracks, Cobal saw Fungin shake his green, mushroom-capped head. "I'm not dying for the Koopas." he grumbled.

Cobal himself felt rather torn. Likewise, he was not going to give up his life in service for the empire he'd planned to destroy. At the same time, he was not going to let Roy (who he'd heard was one of the harshest Koopa Troop leaders, compared to Morton or even Bowser Jr) hurt the innocent people of the Sprixie Kingdom. To do that, he'd have to give the fight his all...even if it meant risking his life. "What would Luigi do in this situation?" he wondered as he stepped into the noisy chaos outside of the barrack.

* * *

Cobal was hit with a blast of hot air the second he walked down the ramp leading down from the battleship onto the scorching hot sands of Conkdor Canyon. The flight down from Lava-Lake Keep had been short, only around an hour by his estimation. All throughout that time Cobal had been plagued by the question of he far he'd be willing to go during the coming battle...well, that and comforting Shroomer, who was positively terrified. A light breeze blew grains of sand past Cobal's face as he stepped onto the fine, smooth yellow sand. Already the Koopa Troop was setting down their defences. He could see dozens of tanks sitting still, with Shy Guys scurrying over them preforming routine checks and loading the Bill Blasters. The camp was in the centre of three very large, triangular rocks, allowing for some natural defences. Several minions were in the process of pitching tents. One tent, which seemed to be the centre of command, had already been pitched and Captain Shyrif and some other officers were puzzling over a map inside. Monty Moles worked hard building barricades and setting up Bill Blasters to defend the camp in case the opposing forces got too close to it. The air was full of the roar of machinery as what Cobal estimated to be twenty battleships hovered over the desert, their guns shining in the sunlight. This was where they would make their stand.

"Wow, I can't believe I'm actually going to fight!" Masko exclaimed, looking around the camp in glee. Cobal didn't doubt that under his mask there was an expression of utmost excitement. "This looks like a scene from one of those war movies!"

"Slow down, hotshot." Kooperly said, giving him a pat on the shoulder. "War ain't sunshine and rainbows. Don't go in expecting to be a hero."

"We are all heroes if we die in the service of Emperor Bowser!" Gerard exclaimed, the sunlight glittering off the proud spike on his helmet.

The idea of heroism only made Cobal think about what he was doing more. He was being a hero right now...right? He was fighting on the enemy side, but since he was fighting to keep the people of the Sprixie Kingdom from falling under an even worse oppressor, did that still make him a hero? Or was he just another "minion" now, trying to justify his action which in the end was only giving the Koopa Empire more power? Cobal squinted his eyes at the desert before him. There were countless pointy rocks sticking out of the sand like the three they were camped next to, and he could've sworn he could see some ruins to his left. But there was something of far more immediate concern than the relics of some ancient civilization. Faintly, barely visible because of the haze of heat rising from the sand, Cobal could see a fleet of ships approaching, and, underneath them, what looked like a large army. The enemy was approaching. In less then an hour, they would be here.

"Troops, I want you to get into position!" Cobal heard Captain Shyrif call out as he walked out of the command tent. All the minions assembled in the camp turned to look at him. "We are going to be employing a defensive strategy...tire them out while our tanks and Bill Blasters do the heavy lifting! Our battleships will provide support when possible, although the general believes they will be more concerned with taking out the enemy's warships. As always, remember that the Koopa Troop does not run away! We fight until the last one standing! Long live Emperor Bowser!"

"Long live the Emperor!" several of the minions shouted (Gerard loudest of all). Cobal did not join them; although at least he made it a bit more subtle then Fungin, who actually spat. That Toad was going to have a tough time here if he didn't learn to keep his anti-Koopa thoughts to himself. One couldn't do much good for the Mushroom Kingdom if they were court-marshled and locked up in a cell, after all.

"Are they going to kill us?" Shroomer asked, shaking as he got into position. There were around two thousand troops in total, Cobal estimated, when you added up all the different camps placed around that area of the desert together. Each warship had brought at least a couple squads. There were troops behind and in front of Cobal, packed so close together that he was starting to get claustrophobic. He, along with the rest of his squad, were relatively close to the front, although there were still at least five lines of troops before them. Was it just bad luck that they'd be close to the action, or did their superiors think them expendable.

"Hey, Shroomer." Cobal whispered down to the cowardly Toad. "Let me give you a pro tip. Stay away from the cannons. Bob-ombs, Bullet Bills...those are the kind of things to watch out for, since they can hurt you even if they guy shooting them wasn't aiming at you. If you see one of those headed your way, get outta there. Also, you gotta be honest with yourself. You aren't a fighter. Sure, you won't be able to defend yourself too well. But who's gonna go for the weak defenceless Toad when there are Hammer Bros chucking hammers at their heads every second?"

Shroomer shuddered. "W...whatever you say, Cobal." he muttered.

The enemy army was getting closer. Cobal could make out the details on their ships now: the spike-shelled dome that covered the ship's bridge was purple as opposed to the Bowser Jr ships' green or the Morton ship's brown. The huge figurehead at the ship's front was of a scowling Koopa with pink scales on his head and huge, pink sunglasses. So that was what the infamous Prince Roy looked like. Who knew he had such a sense of style?

Cobal could see several tanks in the enemy army, their cannons pointed straight at them. The armies seemed roughly the same size, and were made up of essentially the same troops. Cobal had a feeling that these minions were going to be a bit more in shape then the garrison at Peach's Castle. However...there were very few units in the approaching army he hadn't already fought in the battle to retake Toad Town. He was going to have to be on his guard, sure. But it wasn't like he had no idea what he was doing.

The enemy army continued to draw closer. Cobal's heart was beating as the army around him muttered about themselves. "Keep in the ranks!" he heard Strike's harsh voice cry out. "We have to be ready for them when they come to us."

Cobal could hear the rumble of the approaching tanks now. "Cannons locked and loaded, sir!" a Shy Guy somewhere behind Cobal shouted out to his commanding officer.

"A message from General Motley has just come in!" Cobal heard Shyrif exclaim, turning his head to see the green-robed Shy Guy. Shyrif was standing atop one of the tanks, so that all the assembled army could see him. The tanks were built of a dark blue metal, and decorated with the large red logo of the Koopa Troop. "Be prepared to engage the enemy at an order!"

Cobal turned back to the approaching army. They were marching forward, kicking up a huge cloud of sand. He would not die here. He still needed to help the Mushroom Kingdom.

"Attack!" came the voice of one of the officers. With a shout, the army surged forward, Cobal being caught up in the flow. There was an ear-shattering boom as the cannons on both sides fired. Cobal could barely see in front of him as the countless people around him kicked huge clouds of sand into the air. Bullet bills thudded into the ground around him, erupting into firey explosions and kicking up more and more sand. Cobal accidentally shoved down a Koopa in his effort to reach the enemy. It was almost as if he was completely blind, there was so much smoke and sand in the air, and the constant firing of the cannons made it impossible to think. There was a flash and a massive explosion to his left; a Banzai Bill must've gone off. Cobal hoped Shroomer was still ok; he could no longer see the Toad next to him.

There were cries in front of Cobal as the two armies hit each other. A Goomba ran at Cobal, only to be kicked back by one of the yoshi's boots. Two Bullet Bills whizzed over Cobal's head, exploding as they hit something behind him. This was nothing like the epic takeback of Toad Town at all. This was pure chaos. A Boomerang Bro, barely visible through the smoke and flame, aimed a boomerang at Cobal that the Yoshi barely dodged. A quick flick of his tongue drew the tall Koopa into Cobal's mouth. Cobal felt an uncomfortable tightening in his stomach as the Boomerang Bro was incased in an egg, which he proceeded to throw at a Paragoomba who looked ready to go into a divebomb. As he looked up, he could see, faintly through the cloud, the huge battleships overhead bombarding each other with Bullet Bills. What would happen when one of them fell?

Suddenly, to Cobal's right, there was a massive explosion. His entire vision was filled with fire as he was lifted off his feet and thrown hard to the ground, his ears ringing. A Koopa Troopa was flung past him, his shell cracked. Was he dead? How many had died in that explosion? Why, even _he'd_ be dead if he'd just been a few feet more to the right. "This isn't how I'm gonna fight." Cobal thought to himself, pushing past a red-shelled Koopa closer to the front line. He leapt over projectile thrown by a Rocky Wrench, although Cobal could not see the enemy so was unable to land a counterattack. "I'm not going to just sit here, getting picked off by the Bullet Bills, punching and kicking whatever enemy comes my way and hoping I don't hit somebody from my side because we all look the same and don't even wear uniforms." Cobal broke into a run, his boots kicking the sand back.

"Cobal!" came a voice from behind him. He turned around to see Strike lob a fireball at an opposing Shy Guy. "What do you think you're doing?" the Fire Bro shouted angrily. "You're breaking rank!"

"I don't care!" Cobal shouted back. "We're getting _smashed_ by these Bullet Bills! If keeping in rank means getting blown up, you can jump right in front of the next Banzai Bill!"

Without another word, Cobal sprinted away from Strike, leaping over an enemy Mega Goomba before flutter-jumping behind enemy lines. A Koopa Troopa's eyes widened as Cobal came down upon him, forcing him into his shell before Cobal sent the shell spinning forward with a well-placed kicked. The roar of a nearby cannon sounded again. The tank...now, that was what he had to be worried about. Strike and the rest of them could take care of all the foot soldiers. It was his job to take care of the big guns.

Cobal's vision was no better now that he was at the opposite side of the battlefield. Smoke and sand stung at his eyes, and, in addition to those obvious problems, he also had to deal with the countless enemies trying to take him down. "Move like Luigi..." Cobal thought to himself, leaping from Koopa, to Goomba, to Shy Guy, bouncing off their heads as if they were his own personal trampolines. The cannon roared again, and a bullet bill whizzed past Cobal, trailing fire behind it. He couldn't be far now. Cobal sprung off the skull of a Koopa unfortunate enough to be beneath his boots and kicked his legs rapidly, fluttering through the air. The big tank loomed before him, moving forward on it's massive treads. It's design was the same as the ones in Cobal's army, only that the logo on the side depicted a bald dragon-like Koopa with sunglasses, presumably Roy's personal insignia. Riding at the top of the tank was a giant Monty Mole with dark shades (something which seemed quite impracticable considering the already low visibility).

The Mega Mole slammed his fist down onto the dashboard, causing all three of the Bill Blasters at the front of his tank to fire. "Ha ha!" he laughed as the missiles exploded somewhere behind Cobal. "Die, brigands! You are dust compared to the mighty Captain Soiler Monty!" he bashed the fire button again, firing another trio of bullet bills.

"This guy must be in charge of a whole lot of these folks." Cobal thought, ducking under a Boomerang thrown by some unseen assailant. He couldn't remember Strike's exact breakdown of the Koopa Troop ranks, but it was safe to say that Captain Soiler Monty was in control of over one hundred of the troops before them...and that included the tanks. Take him down...give the Koopas _he_ was fighting for a chance to move in and take control of the battle.

"Hey, bigshot!" Cobal shouted, leaping before the tank. "Quit taking shots in the dark and try and crush someone who's right next to you for a change!"

Captain Soiler looked down at Cobal was a contemptuous expression. "So the rumours about Prince Junior are true, huh?" the mole reflected in his deep voice. "Hah! Pathetic! As if a Yoshi could represent the glory of the Koopa Troop! I will show you a real man, dinosaur!"

He urged the tank forward, as if to crush Cobal underneath it. Naturally, Cobal dove to the left, kicking an unfortunate Koopa Troopa in the way. Thankfully, most of the enemies around him were more focused on their charge to pay to close attention to him. "Is that the best you can do?" Cobal taunted.

Soiler growled and swivelled the top of his tank around, firing Bullet Bills straight at Cobal. As soon as they left the cannons, Cobal leaped into the air with a flutter jump, as the ground he'd just been on exploded and sent a massive cloud of sand into the air. Cobal was already starting to hate the constant feeling of sand in his eyes. Maybe that was why Sanders wore those sunglasses.

"Do not mock me, you tiny dinosaur!" Soiler exclaimed, before, to Cobal's astonishment, leaping out of his seat on the tank so that he was standing on the roof, whipping out a minigun, and firing a hail of bullets at Cobal. Cobal ran faster then he'd ever run before, his boots digging into the sand, as the bullets rained down behind him, nearly grazing his blue tail. Soiler turned to follow him, pointing his gun straight at Cobal. Cobal leaped into the air just as the bullets thudded into the sand he'd been standing on, going into a flutter. He had to make this quick...one wrong move and he'd be full of bullet holes. Before Soiler could point his gun into the air, Cobal went into a dive, kicking him in the head and causing him to drop his gun. As Soiler recovered from the pain, Cobal leapt up again before slamming his boot into the Mega Mole with as much force as he could manage. Soiler's sunglasses flew into the air as the mole tumbled off the tank. Cobal caught them neatly in his hand; they looked like they'd fit him better then the mole anyway. Cobal placed the sunglasses on his head. Really, they didn't make anything much darker then it already was. The sound of cannons was still echoing in the distance. Strike and Kooperly and Gerard and the rest could follow orders like a good Koopa minion. If he was going to stop Roy's takeover, he was going to have to do it _his_ way. With a flutter jump that took him over the heads of dozens of enemies, Cobal was off towards the next Bill Blaster.


	20. Emperor of the Koopas

**Chapter Twenty: Emperor of the Koopas**

Grand General Shelldon walked down a hall in the Koopa Central Imperial Citadel, the sounds of his footsteps echoing off the vaulted ceilings of the spacious corridor. Large golden statues of the Emperor stood in alcoves built into the walls, staring down at him and making him feel small and insignificant. The light from the jewel-incrusted chandeliers above made them cast huge shadows down upon the red carpet, which would periodically cover Shelldon every time he walked past one of their perpetually-snarling visages. The further Shelldon went down the hallway, the more his dread grew. This sense of fear was an alien one for the chairman of Koopa High Command and supreme commander of the Koopa Troop. He hadn't felt like this since the old days, when he'd gripped his hammer in his sweaty hands and listened to the distant sounds of Mario jumping and smashing his way through the castle, knowing that any minute his one shot at taking down the plumber would be here. It was a feeling that was becoming more and more prevalent within the Imperial Citadel, even though it was the most well-defended building in the world. Kamek had been able to keep things under control in the first years following the Koopa Empire's world conquest, but after the old Magikoopa had come down with the Delphino Fever and finally dead, things had began to deteriorate. Kammy, who the Emperor had never liked quite as much, had perhaps been able to hold things together...until she had left suddenly, giving no reason for her departure, two years ago. Shelldon sighed. Poor, poor Emperor Bowser.

Shelldon reached an intersection in the hallway, where he was surprised to run into a familiar face. It was a green-robed Shy Guy wearing a a brown backpack stuffed with various items such as a magic wand, a small grey pipe, and a tiny Koopa Empire flag.

"Ah, good evening to you, Grand General!" the Shy Guy said with a sharp salute. "Looking forward to resting after that meeting."

Shelldon nodded. "Oh, quite definitely, General Guy." he said. This Shy Guy, not to be confused with the White-Robed Shy Guy of the same rank (who had died fighting against the Metro Kingdom), was, in his opinion, one of the Koopa Troop's finest leaders. He and his two friends had worked their way up from being low-ranked grunts just lucky enough to encounter the exiled Bowser after the kingdom had been taken over by the madman Fawful, to generals of the troop and valued members of High Command. "Unfortunately, there's one important duty I have to attend to first.

Guy nodded sympathetically. "Ah. I pity you, Grand General. A pity." he shook his head. "It makes me so sad, you know. Paraplonk, Goomp and I were just talking about it last night. He used to be so alive, our emperor. Nothing could ever take him down...not being crushed by a castle, not being run over by a train...nothing."

Shelldon nodded, thinking back to his more exciting youth. "I could be court-martialed for saying this, but," he looked around the corridor to see if there was anybody with him aside from Guy, "I almost wish Mario was back. Would do Emperor Bowser some good."

"Yes, yes, I know." Guy agreed.

"Any news on the Princess?" Shelldon asked. Guy was the director of one of the Koopa Empire's highest-funded divisions, the Toadstool Unit. It's sole purpose was tracking down the missing Princess Peach. The princess hadn't been seen since the Battle of Toad Town, over twenty years ago. Shelldon privately thought she was dead, although voicing that thought would've been an act of high treason. Likely most people in the world thought the same. Nevertheless, Emperor Bowser was not most people, which led by coins being poured into the Toadstool Unit instead of improving the empire's infrastructure.

"Same way it's been since the beginning." Guy shrugged. "We've been everywhere. Every kingdom, every little hideaway. I still have our space units combing the galaxies, but they've found nothing so far."

"What about Star Haven?" Shelldon pressed, even though he was sure he already knew the answer.

"It's a bust so far." Guy sighed dejectedly. "We had all of our strongest Magikoopas working together to cast a spell that allowed us to view it, since there's no way they'd let us inside. Just a whole bunch of Star Kids. That's all. We're still looking into strengthening the spell since the Star Spirits may be hiding her, but let's face it, the only place we're going to find Peach is the Overthere."

"Don't give Emperor Bowser that idea." Shelldon chuckled dryly.

Guy shuddered. "Indeed." he agreed. "Good luck, Grand General."

"Thanks for your consideration." Shelldon replied with a polite smile, before walking off down the hallway again.

The short conversation had done little to help with Shelldon's mood. His heart beat like an angry Thwomp as he continued down the endless corridor. Shelldon was a proud member of the Koopa Troop. He wore on his back the purple cape of the Grand General, a tradition that had been kept since the days of the war against the Shadow Queen. He still wore the old Hammer Bro uniform, with the blue helmet and the wooden mallet. From time to time, he still thought back with pride to the days when he was just a captain, when he'd kept his division together when the entire troop had been spirited away to that dark castle by the inter-dimensional sorcerer calling himself Count Bleck. He'd been able help the Princess there, being one of the few Koopa Troop members to interact with her as anything but an enemy. He hated to think what would've happened to her – or the universe – if he and one of his privates hadn't stumbled across her in one of the gloomy halls of Castle Bleck. He'd gone down like a hero in particular event, subdued by one of Count Bleck's subordinates while trying to break his loyal soldier Johnson out of a hypnotic trance. After that whole fiasco was over, he had continued to strive to improve himself to atone for the shame of being hypnotized and forced to fight against Bowser. Eventually even Bowser noticed his efforts, which led to his climb through the ranks until he was at last at the very top. Yes, _those_ were the days...the days of the old Koopa Troop.

Shelldon reached the end of the hallway. He took a deep breath. There, looming before him, was a gigantic door, made of green iron. A huge stone image of Emperor Bowser's head loomed over the the door, which was more then twelve feet in hight. No point in putting this off any more. Shelldon touched the door's cold metal surface. As if by magic, the massive doors began to open.

The throne room of the Koopa Empire was one of the largest rooms Shelldon had ever laid eyes upon. It was circular in shape and larger then the castle's grand ballroom. Despite this it had very little ground; most of the room was filled up with a very deep pit filled with lava, over which a bridge was suspended leading to the throne. Dim red light filtered through the stained-glass windows that lined the walls, each one depicting a different stage in Emperor Bowser's life. The impossibly tall domed ceiling was decorated with an extremely ornate map of the Mushroom World, designed so that Koopa Central was placed directly above the throne, which was in the exact centre of the room,at the end of the bridge.

The entire hall was silent save for the bubbling of the lava as Shelldon walked down the long, stone bridge covered with ornate red carpet. The throne loomed before him, positioned at the top of a small flight of steps so that it would always be above whoever approached it. Light from the lava reflected off it's golden spikes, making the throne shine like a piece of a star fallen down from the heavens. Emperor Bowser slouched on the throne's plush red cushion, his eyes closed.

Emperor Bowser looked to Shelldon like a Koopa twice his age. He was not old yet, but despite that Shelldon could see that Bowser's once-brilliant red hair was already starting to grey. Bowser wore around his shoulders a red cape with spiked, golden shoulder-pads, a symbol of the superior power he wore as the Koopa Emperor. He was motionless, and Sheldon was not quite sure he even knew he was no longer alone.

Shelldon knelt before his emperor, in the centre of the huge likeness of his face on the rug before the throne. "Emperor Bowser, your highness." he said respectfully. "Grand General Shelldon here to report the status of the conflict in Sector Two."

Bowser gave a barely audible grunt. This was confirmation enough that Bowser had heard him. Shelldon did not want to spend any more time then necessary in the throne room. Both the lava and the stress of the situation were making him sweat uncontrollably.

"There is active fighting between the forces of your son Roy Koopa and his brothers Morton Koopa Jr and Bowser Jr." Shelldon reported. "The fighting rages throughout all of Sector Two. Furthermore, neither General Koops nor King Boo were at the last High Command meeting, which has led us to believe Larry and Ludwig are also involved due to them being their chief subordinates." the loss of Koops was something that had effected Shelldon greatly. Koops was a smart person, with fighting skills that rivalled even those of the Koopalings or Kammy. What was more, he also cared about his subordinates, something Shelldon highly valued. There were too many officers in the Koopa Troop who enjoyed tormenting others these days. "Emperor Bowser," Shelldon continued, "We of Koopa High Command have asked for your permission to send out fleets from Koopa Central in an attempt to defuse the combat and beat down the revolution. We fear that an alliance of three of the most powerful Sectors against your leadership could prove disastrous for imperial stability."

"Huh." Bowser grunted, opening his eyes. "You know what, Shelldon?" he asked, straightening himself and propping his head up with one arm. "I couldn't care less. Let em' fight."

Shelldon sighed. He'd been expecting an answer like this. "Emperor Bowser, I beg you, please reconsider." he asked, looking up to meet his monarch's gaze. "Thousands of Koopas gave their lives to make this empire a reality. To give up on it would make all of their sacrifices forfeit. You've achieved your life's goal, your highness. You beat Mario. You rule not only the Mushroom Kingdom, but every other kingdom under the sun. Even the Stars are afraid to challenge you face to face. Don't let your dream go to waste!"

Shelldon's words seemed to spark something inside of Bowser...although it was far from the spark Shelldon was hoping for. Bowser practically flung himself off his throne and roared, his loud voice echoing throughout the cavernous hall. Sparks flew from his mouth, stinging Shelldon's face.

"Don't you dare tell me what my life's goal is!" Bowser exclaimed, stomping down the short staircase with the force of an earthquake. Shelldon instantly rose to his feet and took a few steps back. This could get ugly. "I have _nothing_!" he rose his arms, gesturing at the massive room and it's oppulant, over-the-top luxury. "What is the use of all _this_ if I have to rule it alone!?" he spun around, facing his enormous throne. "There should be two thrones here!" Bowser roared. "Right next to this one, there should be a smaller one, a pink one, one that _she'd_ sit on!"

Bowser stomped towards Shelldon and, without warning, picked the Grand General up. Shelldon kicked his legs wildly, although he knew there was no escape. He was going to be in pain this night. Shelldon stared into his emperor's wild, red eyes. It was a sight that could strike fear into even the most hardened soldier. "This empire can die." Bowser growled darkly. "Every castle, every warship, every flag...they can all burn. I don't even care if I die! Without _her,_ why am I even alive!?"

Bowser flung Shelldon down to the ground. The Hammer Bro cried out in pain as he bounced on the hard marble surface, feeling some blood trickle down his face. Forcing himself upward, he watched as Bowser (thankfully) began stomping back to his throne with a swish of his cape. "Find Princess Peach!" Bowser ordered. "That's all I want. Bankrupt the military, bankrupt the sciences, bankrupt the hospitals, even bankrupt the stupid banks for all I care! Whatever it takes to track her down, DO IT! I want Princess Peach to stand next to me, Shelldon! I'm not going to die knowing I killed the only man in the world who could give me a decent fight for nothing!" he sighed dejectedly, sitting back down on the throne. "Where's Kammy when I need her?" Bowser grumbled to no one in particular, shaking his head.

"I...I will relay the news to High Command, your majesty." Shelldon replied with a quick salute, before turning and beginning to walk back the long bridge back to the massive door. Few people aside from the members of High Command, the Koopalings and Kammy knew about the emperor's mental state. If it were more widespread, he didn't doubt that it would weaken morale. It was a tough time to be the Grand General, and he had a feeling things were about to get a lot worse then this. If this war went unchecked, he might have to bring out that old hammer of his one last time.

While passing through the massive doors again back into the hallway, Shelldon found himself making a wish to Star Road. "Please help Emperor Bowser find meaning in life again." he prayed. "Grant him a challenge, an obstacle...anything. Anything to see the Koopa Troop return to the way it once was."


	21. The Kingdom's Extra Life

**Chapter Twenty-One: The Kingdom's Extra Life**

 _Thanks to everyone who's continued to enjoy this story! We've now passed forty followers! I'm so glad this story has been so positively received. Please keep on reading, it only gets better from here!_

It was an early morning in Toad Town. The sun was just starting to come up over the Toad Houses, their roofs shining with fresh coats of paint. Already Luigi could see Toads hard at work, tirelessly hammering and painting away to remove all traces of the disastrous battle. Luigi was grateful that everybody was pitching in. He couldn't be everywhere at once. Banktoad was leading the rebuilding efforts, Toadette was co-ordinating the new defence plans...his job was building a group of fighters up to par with his and his brother's allies.

Luigi stood in the town square, his back to the centre fountain. While the Bowser statue was long gone, it had yet to have been replaced by a more appropriate Peach one. Before him were a ground of thirteen Toads, the only people in Toad Town who had been confidant enough to take up his offer of training. Now that Luigi looked the many-coloured group over, he wondered if any of them were having second thoughts. They all were shivering and were looking at him like he was more Bowser then Luigi.

"M...Mr. Luigi?" asked Billy, the yellow Toad who Luigi knew as the lazy member of the Toad Brigade. "What do we...do, exactly?"

Luigi breathed in the cool, pleasant-smelling morning air. "O.k." he said. "We're-a going back to the basics. When my bro and I first started up our plumbing business in New Donk, we weren't heroes. We were just ordinary guys. I was...well..." he scratched his head in embarrassment, "Even more ordinary then Mario, actually. When he was fighting Donkey Kong up on that construction site, I was having lunch at the New Donk Deli!"

"B...but you became strong later, right?" a red-capped Toad asked.

"Yeah, didn't you beat some ghost king or something?" a green-capped one chimed in enthusiastically.

Luigi sighed. "I'll get to that." he said, inwardly appreciating their reactions. They might be completely unused to combat, but at least they were ready to learn. That was a good start. Luigi paused for a moment, listening to the rhythemic sounds of pounding hammers and cutting saws. It brought him back to the good old days in New Donk City, when he was fresh out of high school and none of this Koopa business seemed even possible. "The New Donk sewers used to be a real nightmare." he recollected. "Giant crabs and Spinies all over the place. That's where my brother and I learned how to jump. Come to think of it," he smiled, "New Donk City really should've got it's act together when it came to it's plumbers. We had to face all kind of life-threatening stuff!" Luigi looked around at the Toad Houses surrounding him. Come to think of it, a lot of the gardens were looking a lot nicer, too. Long-overgrown lawns were being cut and out-of control bushes were being trimmed. He hoped none of the Toads had had any nasty encounters with Piranha Plants. "See those houses?" Luigi asked, pointing to them. The Toads obediently nodded. "I want you to climb all the way up to the roof." he ordered. "Then I want you to make it all the way to Peach's Castle without touching the ground! Don't worry if you fall; it won't hurt that much. You probably won't be able to make it first try, but practice makes perfect!"

A couple of the Toads cheered in excitement, although others shuddered with nervousness. "Race yah guys!" a cocky green Toad smirked, before running to the nearest blue-roofed Toad House. Slowly but surely, the rest of the Toads began to follow until only Billy was left.

"Come on, Billy!" Luigi urged, putting on his best "inspiring" voice. He doubted it sounded that good, although he hoped it got the point across. "You're doing this to help save the Mushroom Kingdom, remember?"

"I...it's not that." Billy admitted, looking towards the Toad House. The green Toad leaped up, although his jump was not nearly high enough and he slid down the house's smooth roof, crashing into another Toad behind him. "When we were fighting against Boom Boom...I...I was useless, Luigi." he admitted, his eyes drooping in shame. "I got so scared I hit behind a bush while everybody else risked their lives to take the town back! I want to fight the Koopas, Luigi, I really do! But how am I supposed to get braver when I don't know a single fighting move?"

Luigi looked closely at Billy. He barely remembered his first battle, since he'd been barely four when it had happened. It had been up against one of the alien Shroobs, quite a few decades ago. He and his brother had fought to save the lives of two strangers (which had later turned out to be his and Mario's older selves, which was really weird now that he thought of it). He remembered enough to know that he'd been terrified of the aliens' sharp fangs and dangerous laser weapons, but he'd kept on fighting to save the strangers' lives. "If...if you really push yourself, Billy, you'll find a way." he finally said. "You know what? I...I'm scared of ghosts more then anything else in the world. I wanted nothing more then to run out of that haunted mansion. But you why I didn't? Because I did it to save Mario! You're fighting for all your friends and family, Billy!"

Billy smiled shyly. "Yeah..." he admitted. "I guess I've just got to push myself. Hey..." he said, blushing in embarrassment. "There's this book my dad had called "Techniques of the Dragon Driftway Lakitu Masters...mind of you teach me some of the moves in it? They look really powerful, but they're also super complex."

Dragon Driftway Lakitu masters? Luigi remembered seeing paintings of them during his time racing down said drift-way. From what he knew, they all died out two hundred years ago. Whatever book Billy's dad had picked up had to be super rare! "Yeah...I don't know much about martial arts." Luigi admitted. "But I'll teach everyone the basics of fighting later. That should help you be able to understand the stuff in the book."

Billy's eyes lit up. "Thanks, Luigi!" he exclaimed, before running off the join his companions. The first few Toads had already made it onto the Toad House and across the first jump, and the ones who hadn't yet made it were hard at work trying to nail that perfect bounce. Luigi turned away from them, a contented feeling in his heart. This Toads were a long way off from becoming the next Yoshi or Captain Toad, but everyone had to start somewhere!

Leaving the Toads to their own devices, Luigi decided to take a walk down the main avenue. The streets, he reflected, were noticeably clean. No more busted up tank parts or broken-off airship propellers. He trusted Toadette was putting the scrap metal to good use. As Luigi admired the cheerful, brand-new red paint on a Toad House which had had a caved-in roof since before yesterday, Luigi suddenly became aware of two familiar figures walking up the road. Out of reflex he almost started getting into a fighting position, before he reminded himself that the Mushroom Kingdom's two most notorious criminals were fighting on their side for once.

"Luigi!" Waluigi exclaimed, running forward on his skinny feet with such large strides Luigi was surprised he didn't fall. "You're looking so good today, I'd almost challenge you to a sports race if Wario wasn't around."

"Wasting time wastes money!" Wario shouted as he ran up, although at a much slower pace due to his stubby feet.

"H...how's business?" Luigi asked. It was still going to take a while getting used to talking to these guys as allies.

"Business is booming." Wario smirked.

"Literally." Waluigi added. "We just dropped off more Bob-ombs then you probably have room for."

"Yeah, you better put those to good use!" Wario growled fiercely. "I had to cancel my deal with the Pianta Syndicate for this! Once this war is over, I better be rolling in dough!"

"I'm sure you'll have more coins then you know what to do with." Luigi replied. Honestly he didn't know for sure, but although it made him nervous he was going to have to assume they'd find away to make it work. Wario's help was too critical for their resistance movement.

"Hey, Wario! Thanks for the bombs!" came Toadette's voice as she ran down the main road, her pigtails flying behind her.

"Try not to blow yourself up." Wario grumbled. Luigi could see he was uncomfortable with the idea of a Toad handling his explosives.

"Yeah, if you drop it at least drop it near one of them and not me!" Waluigi added.

Toadette rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you two." she sighed. "We're not going to light the Bob-ombs when we're holding them. We're going to fling them at the Koopas with catapults. Which reminds me, Luigi..." she pointed towards the edge of Toad Town. Luigi looked up to see some Toads stacking piles of jump and hammering wood to make a makeshift wall around the town. It wasn't that high yet, but they were hard at work. Dozens of Toads were carrying pieces of wood and metal from destroyed Koopa Troop weapons or collapsed Toad Houses to contribute to the wall building effort. "How do you like it?" she asked. "We're already getting the catapults ready, along with some of the Bill Blasters the Koopa Troop garrison kept in the castle. We're going to mount them on the wall so we can give the Koopas a little present in case they try taking the town away from us again!"

"Wow." Luigi commented, marvelling at the speed and efficiency of the workers. "Toadette, this is amazing! I can't believe you've already got the town defended."

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say that." she replied, blushing with embarrassment. "But it's good start!"

"So long as it keeps those shellcreepers from getting any stronger, I like it." Wario said roughly, cracking his knuckles.

"I second that!" Waluigi added.

Luigi nodded his head as a Toad used a rope pulley to drag a shiny Bill Blaster to the top of a completed section of wall. Things were really looking up for Toad Town. Even though things still looked bleak, it was a comforting thing to know that at least one part of the Mushroom Kingdom belonged it it's rightful owners once again.

* * *

Roughly three miles from Toad Town, where Princess Peach's castle was barely visible as a speck in the distance, five Koopa Troop battleships flew over the plains, casting massive shadows over the ground. The rising sun glinted off their shining cannons and spinning propellers. The Koopa Empire flag proudly flew from each ship, a black flag against a blue sky.

There was a feeling of excitement on the bridge of the foremost ship, the _Charvaargh._ The crew, most of them Koopas wearing the signature brown flight caps of the Koopa air navy, sat at their control consoles and preformed routine tasks like usual, but all eyes were looking through the massive bridge windows at the approaching town. The huge screens which were at both sides of the bridge, curving from the wall onto the roof, showed the ominious words: TOAD TOWN: 2.86 MILES. At the front of the bridge, the pilot gripped the wheel tightly, holding it on course. There had been no official confirmation of combat, but many were hopeful. The new battleships, for all their power, had seen scarce actual battle and most of the crew were disappointed they hadn't been sent down to Sector Two to fight in the civil war.

At the back of the ship, Captain Gai sat on his command seat, which was perched on top of a low raised platform. Gai was a red Shy Guy, and was a tad bit more nervous about the whole idea then the rest of his crew where. After all, he knew the full story (as in, the other Mario bro was present), and they did not. A holographic screen popped into existence before Gai, showing none other then General Flame himself, seated comfortably in his office. "We're approaching fast, general!" Gai announced. "I suspect we've already been spotted."

"Do _not_ engage without my order." Flame said sternly. "We must play this safe, captain. After all, I do not want it to seem as if I am wasting valuable resources that could be used against Prince Roy's delinquents. Stay within a one mile radius and await further instruction."

"On it, sir." Gai replied with a salute.

Flame nodded. "Yes, yes, very good." he replied. "Blueshell, some tea." he said off-handedly to somebody Gai couldn't see.

"Yes, Governor Flame." a bored, sounding voice replied, handing Flame a flame-orange teacup. The general sipped it, before continuing.

"We are playing a risky game here, Gai." he said. "We can not let the mushroom rebels think we are afraid of them, and yet we can not let Prince Bowser Jr think that we are being negligent here. If the rebels take any action against us, I would like to be informed _immediately._ Do you understand this, Captain Gai?"

"Naturally, sir." Gai replied with another crisp salute.

"Good." Flame nodded. "I'll leave you to it here. Remember...nobody gets in or out. The Mushroom Kingdom is mine, as entrusted to me by Emperor Bowser himself. It's best they remember that!"


	22. War in the Sprixie Kingdom

**Chapter Twenty-Two: War in the Sprixie Kingdom**

Cobal lounged on one of the Koopa Battleships, his back up against one of the huge Bill Blaster turrets. He turned the shades he'd stolen from Captain Soiler Monty over in his hand, watching as the caught the rays from the hot sun still shining down above them. It had been one day since his first battle as a member of the Koopa Troop, and he still couldn't get over it. How many times had he almost died when fighting that tank?

"Cobal, are you epic or what?" laughed his squad-mate, Masko the yellow-robed Shy Guy, throwing down a pack of canned Chuckola Cola. "Come on, have one!" he urged, ripping open the cardboard. "You deserve it!"

"Yeah, I would've been blown up in a totally wrong way if you hadn't have beat that tank, Cobal!" the green-hued Bob-omb Ploder added, leaping up and down with excitement.

"Thanks, guys." Cobal sighed, putting on the shades and cracking open one of the cans. The ice-cold Chuckola Cola was significantly better then the junky stuff he'd had back in Toad Town.

"Huh, with you on our side, we won't even need an army!" Masko chuckled, opening a can himself and pouring it down the hole in his mask.

"Yeah, where'd you learn to fight like that, Cobal?" Ploder urged.

Cobal had no desire to explain his training to two Koopa Troop members. While honestly he didn't think Masko or Ploder were bad people, he doubted they'd take kindly to someone trained by Luigi being a part of their squad. "Let's just say I picked up a few things." he said, striding to the front of the battleship. He currently was on a small platform that jutted around the superstructure, mainly for maintenance of the turrets since the new battleships had no real deck compared to their Mario-era predecessors. Thankful for his new glasses, he looked over the sun-scorched rolling sands until his gaze fell on the invading army, which was still camped there. While the Morton/Bowser Jr faction had one yesterdays battle, Roy's army had yet to be driven off. It was becoming obvious to everyone in the camp that this was going to be a whole lot more trouble then some simple sibling rivalry.

"Huh, you sure did pick up some stuff." Masko laughed. "A lot more then some stuff, actually."

"Like a Chain Chomp without a post." Ploder added.

"Shut up." Cobal sighed, taking another sip of the Chuckola Cola as he sat down on the battleship's wooden railing. Last thing he wanted was to become some big Koopa Troop hero.

As Cobal finished his Chuckola Cola, he strode towards the door that would take him back inside the airship, only to be met by Corporal Strike, who had a stern expression as always. Behind him, Masko and Ploder instantly stiffened.

"Corporal Strike." Cobal said in a level tone, hoping he wasn't about to get in trouble for breaking the lines. What had he been supposed to do, wait for a Bullet Bill to smash into him?

Strike looked Cobal over, as if seeing him for the first time. "Cobal..." he finally said. "You did good today."

Cobal had not known Strike for long, however he had got the sense that the Fire Bro was not one to give compliments idly. "Hey, thanks." Cobal nodded.

"Captain Shyrif would want me to reprehend you." Strike continued, "But I think I will let this slide. You saved lives today, Cobal. If you hadn't taken out that captain, that tank would've been a problem."

"Hey, just doing my job, corporal." Cobal responded. Much as he hated to be "doing a job" for the empire, at least this was keeping the innocent people of the Sprixie Kingdom safe from the far harsher rule of Roy Koopa.

"Keep doing it that way." Strike said seriously. "Next time we fight, I want you to go all out."

"Note taken." Cobal nodded, before walking past Strike and into the battleship. This news was quite the relief to hear.

Cobal walked through the thin corridor of the battleship, the wooden floorboards squeaking underneath his feet. Small portholes in the side of the wall let in light, while still not being large enough to serve as weak points for potential attackers. He had his mind set firmly on the future. Here he was, being praised by a Koopa Troop officer, and he hadn't done a single thing to work towards freeing the Mushroom Kingdom despite his actions in Sector Two. Some revolutionary he was. Luigi had probably freed Mushroom City by now.

"Hey...Cobal?" came a shy-sounding voice next to him. Cobal turned around to see Shroomer sticking his head out of another corridor. He looked out of place in the warship, like the kind of guy who'd feel much more at home around a village of mushroom-shaped houses.

"Yeah, what's up, Shroomer?" Cobal asked, glancing at the red-capped Toad.

"Uhh...I was just wondering, Cobal...just how long is this fighting going to last?" he shuddered as he drew closer to the blue Yoshi. "A bullet bill nearly got me." he admitted, his eyes wide and afraid. "I'd only gone into Mushroom City to buy some new gas for my dad's kart...you know how hard it is to find these days. What's my family going to think if I die?"

"Don't talk like that, pal." Cobal smiled. He thought back to the pure, simple idea of Mario, and how it had inspired so many people in the Mushroom Kingdom to stand up against Bowser. He had to become that symbol. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to try to take out as many of those creeps as possible. I have a few skills I'd like to put to use, and, in case you've forgotten, we've got lots of weapons on our side too, like this battleship!"

"Yeah..." Shroomer sighed heavily and walked to one of the portholes, looking over the camp. The Koopa Troop members were gatherered together, reinforcing the barriers and reloading the Bill Blasters. Nobody knew when Roy's army would attack again. "I always hated the Koopa Empire." Shroomer said sadly. "I still do, actually. My uncle Shroomweiss died trying to fight them off, you know. But now I'm a member of their army. Some of the officers giving Strike and Shyrif their orders are probably the same people the squad who killed my uncle reported to."

Cobal nodded, coming to the porthole to stand next to Shroomer. "I never knew my parents." he said regretfully, thinking about all the times in his youth he'd wondered about what kind of people they were. "Toadbert...he's the guy who raised me in their place, says my dad was a big fighter. Some kind of champion, supposedly. Then again, Toadbert also told me he helped Mario fight against some sort of Shadow Queen, so who knows what kind of stories about him are true and which ones are his tall tales."

"Yeah...I think the Glitz Pit had a Yoshi champ a while before the empire came in, although I don't really follow stuff like that." Shroomer said, although Cobal could still tell the Toad was distracted by the thought of having to fight for his enemy. An idea came to Cobal. A terrible idea, perhaps, one that Luigi might not have approved of. But, at the same time, despite never having known him, Cobal thought that it would be the kind of thing _Mario_ would do. He leaned in closer to Shroomer's ear.

"Shroomer." he whispered.

"Huh?" the Toad asked.

"Keep your voice down!" Cobal whispered sharply.

"O...Ok." Shroomer nodded, with a quieter voice.

"Luigi's alive." Cobal said, watching as Shroomer's eyes widened in surprise. "He's building a new resistance, and I'm part of it. We're going to work to take down the entire empire and free the Mushroom Kingdom. Nobody's going to have to live in fear again."

"This...this..." Shroomer gasped, at a loss for words.

"Don't tell anyone unless I tell you to." Cobal ordered sharply. Obviously the loyal Koopa Troop members could hear nothing of this, but he wasn't sure if he wanted the borderline-fanatical Fungin in on it, either. He had a feeling the green Toad would have trouble keeping secrets.

"C...Cobal, this is..."

"Crazy, I know." Cobal responded, turning away from Shroomer. "But it's true. All of it. Keep fighting. What we're doing is protecting the innocent people of the Sprixie Kingdom from falling under the rule of one of the harshest leaders in the empire. Just...keep a look out, ok?"

"Y...yeah." Shroomer agreed, still sounding in a state of shock. Cobal walked away, feeling satisfied without himself. Who's to say he couldn't start his _own_ resistance, right under the Koopa Empire's nose?

* * *

There was a deafening roar as the cannons fired again, sending shiny black Bullet Bills streaking towards the charging crowd of minions. They exploded, showing Cobal with sand and debris as he ducked to avoid another missile flying at him. Less then an hour after his conversation with Shroomer, Roy's forces had gone on the move again. Once again Cobal was in a wild, chaotic battlefield full of smoke, sand and flame, listening to the ear-shattering booms of explosions on both sides. Cobal pushed past a pair of Hammer Bros in front of him and leaped into enemy lines, landing firmly on an opposing red-shelled Koopa. Putting all his might into his foot, he kicked the shell full-force, sending it rocketing into the enemies behind it. No way he was going to waste any time here.

Cobal heard the low rumble of a tank's treads, and he instantly leaped into the air, fluttering over the battling minions until he landed firmly on it's hot metal surface. The tank fired again, shaking him and nearly making him lose his balance. Cobal climbed to the top of the tank and forced open the hatch. Inside, he could see two Shy Guys manning the controls, who looked up at him in surprise. Wasting no time, Cobal shot out his tongue, eating one Shy Guy before spitting him out into the fighting crowd, before doing the same to his companion. Once the pilots were dealt with, he leapt into the tank with a powerful stomp, crushing the controls and rending the tank unusable being jumping back out into the fray, dealing a Koopa Troopa a satisfying punch to the side of the head. Cobal paused to take a breath and adjusted his classes, kicking away a Goomba who attempted to ram him. As far as fighting in an all-out war went, this was going pretty good.

Cobal noticed, as he hurled an egg right into the head of a Fire Bro, that he was near the front lines, right where his army and the opposing army were clashing together. How did the different factions of the Koopa Troop tell each other apart, anyway? It wasn't like they wore any uniforms. A sound like a crash of thunder came from above him, as countless bullet bills streaked down like raining meteors, smashing into the army and exploding into big balls of fire right in the middle of the crowded minions. Glancing up at the sky, Cobal saw, through a break in the sandy haze, the hull of a huge battleship, it's cannons smoking. The black-and-pink flag of Prince Roy fluttered in the breeze.

"What was that?" screeched a familiar voice. "They're shooting from _above_ us now?" It was Shroomer, who had somehow, probably to his misfortune, found his way to the front lines. His blue vest was covered in dirt and sand, and Cobal wondered if he'd actually managed to win any fights.

"Shroomer!" Cobal shouted, knocking down an unsuspecting Koopa from behind. "It's one of their battleships! I'm going to try and take it out!" even as he said it, Cobal realized how unrealistic that sounded. He was just one Yoshi; how could he destroy an entire warship?

"That's crazy!" Shroomer shouted. "H...how?"

"Come with me!" he shouted. This was a risky plan, but it was the best he'd got. Somehow, he was going to have to get up on that ship.

"B...but you're in the enemy lines!" Shroomer exclaimed, shouting to be heard over all the explosions that were resounding around them.

"I'm a Yoshi!" Cobal shouted. "Do the math!"

Unsure, Shroomer leapt forward, landing firmly on Cobal's back. Turning around, Cobal leapt through the air, fluttering over the enemies and dodging a flurry of hammers from a Hammer Bro. He kicked his legs harder and harder, urging his body towards the nearest tank. With just inches to spare he reached it, as Shroomer dismounted. The Toad looked around in horror; there was practically a sea of enemies around them. Not wasting any time, Cobal opened the hatch and quickly disposed of the pilots in the same way he'd dealt with the Shy Guys. "Get in!" he shouted at Shroomer. "And make sure to empty one of the cannons!"

"W...why?" Shroomer asked, as he climbed down into the cockpit.

"You're going to launch me!" Cobal cried, climbing onto the round barrel of the cannon. "Send me right up to their battleship!"

Shroomer hastily nodded in agreement, before closing the hatch of the tank. There was a low rumble underneath Cobal, indicating that the next Bullet Bill in line to be fired had been removed from the cannon and placed back in wherever the tanks stored the things. Taking a deep breath, Cobal climbed into the cannon. It smelt awful inside, like a mix of gas and gunpowder, and it was painfully hot and tight. Cobal heard the gears of the tank churn as the cannon pointed him straight as the battleship, which was firing again even as several bullet bills from one of the opposing ships struck it. Cobal was able to gaze at the scene for one second. Then the cannon fired.

Cobal instantly shot forward with blinding speed. Wind was blasting at his face, threatening to blow off his shades, as the Yoshi shot into the air like a human rocket, through the haze of sand and smoke into the clear blue sky. A bullet bill narrowly missed him as he careened towards the enemy battleship, the sun glinting off the gigantic shades on the figurehead of Prince Roy. Cobal kicked out his feet, trying to stop himself from smashing into the wall. He was flying towards one of the platforms near the turrets, just like the place he'd hung out with Masko and Ploder on. As Cobal neared the wooden deck, he stuck he feet out, skidding across the floor with sparks flying from his boots, as he ducked to avoid smashing his head again the turrets cannon. He finally crashed again the railing, knocking the wind out of his lungs. It wasn't exactly a smooth landing...but he was hear.

The turret next to him fired with such a loud sound it couldn't have been good for his ears. Cobal watched as a duo of Bullet Bills shot down towards the army, hundreds of feet below, streaking long trails of smoke behind him. He couldn't afford to wait any longer. Cobal turned around, gazing up to the very height of the warship's superstructure. There, at the very top of the ship, he could see the windows of what had to be the bridge. It only made sense for it to be located in the section of the ship covered by that huge dome shaped like Prince Roy's spiky shell. Cobal leapt up and began to climb the levels of the ship, jumping from Bill Blaster to turret. With a crash a Bullet Bill from an opposing warship thudded into the hull beside him, exploding and showering Cobal with chunks of wood, which he hurriedly dodged. The ship shook as to began to take fire, rocking and threatening to send Cobal falling the long, long way down. Still, Cobal continued his ascend until he was level with the bridge windows. He took a deep breath. It was now over never.

Cobal crashed through the windows feet first, slamming into the frightened Koopa which had been piloting the ship. The rest of the crew turned to look at him in shock, as he slowly picked himself up in the room's centre, shattered glass all around him.

"What is the meaning of this!?" a green-shelled Koopa sitting in the command seat exclaimed, getting up.

"The name's Cobal." he smirked, adjusting his glasses. "Nice to meet yah." He shot forward, springing from the floor towards the captain and slurping him up with his tongue to transform him into an egg. He flung the egg at a Koopa running at him, hitting the Koopa in the face and knocking him down.

"I'm calling security!" a Shy Guy screamed from his seat.

"Not on my watch!" Cobal shouted, eating a Goomba and hurling an egg at the Shy Guy before he could press the button. Taking a quick breather, Cobal assessed the bridge. On each side of the room, there were four seats, each in front of one control console and sat on by one minion. He'd taken care of two of those eight minions, plus the helmsman and the captain. That left six minions, trained for airship operation rather then full-on combat, to deal with. This was going to be easy.

Cobal ran across the floor, intercepting a Koopa who had been running for the security button with an uppercut. He quickly licked the Koopa up, spitting the green shell at a Shy Guy who was running for the door before springing into a jump to crush another Koopa. The remaining Koopa and Shy Guy dashed at him. Cobal swung his fist into the Shy Guy's hard mask, knocking the Shy Guy across the room, before leaping over the Koopa, who had got into his one shell and was now rocketing towards Cobal at high speeds. The shell rebounded off the walls, giving Cobal a second of opportunity. He licked the shell up, before spitting it out the smashed window. He paused to catch his breath. Every member of the bridge crew was knocked out. Now it was time for the real dangerous part of his plan.

With nerves he felt were quite uncharacteristic of him, Cobal approached the helm, which was spinning around, unchecked by it's pilot. Taking a deep breath, Cobal gripped the wooden wheel in his blue hands before doing a quick assessment of the controls. The control console next to the helm, which had previously been manned by the other Koopa, had a touchscreen with sliders that appeared to control the angle and altitude of the battleship. Placing his finger on the screen, Cobal dragged it slightly to the right. With a jolt, the battleship began to turn. Cobal angled it downwards, putting the entire bridge at a tilt and making all the knocked-out crew slide to the front of the room. Through the huge front windows, he could see that his ship was pointing directly at another one of Roy's warships, which was firing it's cannons at a fast rate, sending more bullet bills towards the army. "Wouldn't it be a pain if I died here?" Cobal thought dryly. Then he grabbed the helm and gripped it tightly, urging the ship forward. It's rocket engines flared as it moved on a collision course with the ship before it. Cobal flicked the autopilot switch on, before leaping out of the broken window.

Cobal fell from the bridge, fluttering so that he wouldn't land on any part of the battleship. This was going to be a long fall. He spread his arms and legs out as he began to fall down towards the massive armies fighting below him. Wind beat at his body as he fell further, gaining momentum. Above him, there was an almighty crash as the entire sky lit up with fire. "This is going to be a real pain." he thought as flaming debris began to rain down around him. He angled up body upright, and began to flutter in an attempt to break his fall. "Man, if Toadbert heard about this, he'd have a heart attack." he grinned as a dented bill blaster barely missed his head. If Luigi had to deal with this sort of stuff on a daily basis, there was a reason why he was that good!


	23. The Maestro

**Chapter Twenty-Three: The Maestro**

Roy Koopa crossed his arms, looking at the large pink hologram of the Mushroom World floating in the centre of his military planning room. Around him his key officers scurried around engaging in the sort of conversation that bored him (that was why having officers was so great, they could take care of all the boring stuff that came with waging war), while others stood around the central table with the hologram, suggested strategies. The room itself was rather dark, lit mostly by the dark pink of the hologram and of the surrounding computer screens that ringed the circular room.

Roy stared at the hologram, at the small icons in the shape of his own head that represented his troops in Sector Two. Things had no been going as well as he had hoped. Although the war had begun promisingly, as soon as Bowser Jr's forces had arrived to offer Morton reinforcement the battle had become much more even. While his forces were not being crushed, a long and hard battle was certainly ahead of them, one which could easily go either way. Roy tightened his fist in anger. Stupid bureaucracy. He, of all the Koopalings, had the largest army, almost as large as his father's personal forces. However, he had been forced to "keep the war at a small scale" by none other then that pompous, pretentious brother of his, _Ludwig von Koopa._ He was positive that if he had been the one giving the orders here, he'd be at the gates of Sarasaland Castle by next morning.

"Roy! Roy! Great news for you!" came an obnoxious, high-pitched voice behind him. Growling, Roy turned around to see the last person he wanted to see right now...his younger brother, Larry.

"What's good news?" Roy glowered, stomping over the hard black metal floor towards the shorter Koopa. "That punk Junior's giving me a run for my money in Sector Two! Do you know what this does to my public image?"

"Relax, big bro." Larry said with a calm smile on his face. "You're going to like this news. I promise."

"Yeah, your promise means nothing, you sneak!" Roy spat.

"I just had a little chat with my even _bigger_ bro." Larry said smugly, Roy's temper only flaring up more at the reminder of Ludwig's status. "And you know what he said?" he took a few steps closer to Roy, before snapping his fingers. "Ludwig wants you to bring in the big guns! He says we're done testing the waters and we're ready for some deep-sea diving!"

Roy's eyes widened behind his sunglasses. Suddenly his temper began to give way to an almost giddy excitement. "What, you mean it, man?" Roy exclaimed. "Can I go all in?"

"More then all in." Larry chuckled. "I'm going to send in my fleet as well...and I think we all can guess that good ol' Ludwig will have more then a few tricks up his sleeve."

"Who cares about that?" Roy laughed, turning around and nearly smacking Larry on the face with his tail. "I don't need em'! My boys are more then good enough for the job. Crushell!" he cried, causing a black-shelled Sledge Bro to run forward.

"Yes, Prince Roy?" Crushell asked.

"How much of our forces are fighting in Sector Two?" he asked.

"Twenty-five percent, sir."

"Well." Roy chuckled, cracking his knuckles. "You guys are about to have a field day. Send out the whole army. Yeah, that's right! Every last Goomba! Only..." his face curved in a cruel smile as he looked back at the holographic globe, which was still shining with a sinister light. "It would be a bit unfair to poor Morton and Junior if we dumped them all on them, eh? Nah, let's give Wendy, Iggy, and Lemmy a bit of fun, too. I want their capital cities burning by tomorrow!"

Crushell snapped to attention. "Yes, Prince Roy!" he exclaimed loyally. "Every barrack will be emptied and every battleship will be up in the air!"

"That's the spirit!" Roy yelled, smacking him on the head so hard it made his helmet go crooked. Then he turned around to Larry, who looked quite entertained.

"What are you lookin' at?" he asked, wishing his little brother would just get out of his sight.

"Aww, nothing." Larry said, rolling his blue eyes. "I just have a feeling you're going to get a whole lotta' exercise pretty soon."

* * *

Organ music echoed through the blue-draped castle halls. The Koopa Troopas listened to it as they went about their patrols, shuddering as the organist hit an especially loud note. The prince was always in a mood when he played like this. Sometimes it was good, sometimes it was bad...although most of the time as far as the lowly minions were concerned, those two were one and the same.

Ludwig von Koopa sat at the organ in the centre of his music room, one of the grandest chambers in his already-ornate palace. The room was hung with blue banners depicting his emblem, and it's vaulted ceiling held up by gold-rimmed pillars. Compared to most castles owned by the Koopa Troop, there was a clear attempt to be classy and luxurious, as opposed to fearsome and brutal.

Ludwig's fingers expertly danced around the piano keys, as the notes of his latest Koopa Symphony flew through the air. He was playing the symphony fast...far faster then he had wrote it to be played. He couldn't help it. He was in an emotional mood.

Everything was going according to plan, he reflected as he precisely hit the next notes of his song. He had just given the order to start a war that would bring the Koopa Empire to it's knees. Just like his father had destroyed the old world, the world of Mario, and Princess Peach, and the Mushroom Kingdom, he would destroy his father's new world, a world which was stale and still rooted in the past, one which would never move forward into his true, perfect dream of the future.

Ludwig pressed down on one of the organ's pedals, carefully fitted for his large feet, as the song entered into a deeper segment. Yes, this would be violent, dark, and cause no end of grief for thousands, if not millions of people. But they would understand. Everyone did, in the end. Through their sacrifices, the Neo Koopa Empire would rise from the ashes of the old one and create a world of pristine technology and extraordinary art, an empire that stretched to the ends of the universe. This was his destiny, what he had been born to do. Ludwig's brow furrowed as he unconsciously began to play faster. Maybe somewhere, in another reality, he didn't have to resort to such extreme methods. In a world where his father had actually been _sane,_ maybe everything would've gone so nice and smooth even the sweetest and most innocent Toad wouldn't object to it.

But no. There was a problem, and that problem's name was Prince Bowser Koopa II – or Bowser Jr, for short. Ludwig slammed his fingers down on the keys, creating a loud sound that reverberated through the whole room. Why? Why had King Bowser decided to strip his birthright from him and give it to a younger, intellectually inferior, physically weaker Koopa? From the moment he'd been old enough to understand what a king was, Ludwig had dreamed of being king. Back when he'd been a tiny little Koopa, small enough that even a Goomba seemed tall, he would look up at his father's huge, fancy throne and dream about when he'd be big enough to sit in it. The older he grew, the more ideas he had. Why didn't the Koopa Kingdom have a space program? Didn't everyone want to find out what lay beyond on the moon? If those "Shroob" aliens he learnt about in school were so bad they almost destroyed the whole Mushroom Kingdom, why didn't the Koopa Kingdom have the right sort of defences to stop an invasion like that from happening to them? And why, oh way, were the lands around Bowser's Castle so rugged and dangerous? Would it really hurt to have just one highway? But no. All those dreams crushed when suddenly, out of the blue, Bowser had announced that Bowser Jr was now the heir to the throne. Was it because he looked the most like him? Was it because he sucked up to him the most? Well, one thing was for certain. _It just wasn't fair._

As Ludwig's piece grew in both loudness and intensity, his fingers moving so fast and precise they began to ache, Ludwig turned his eye to the small portrait on the top of his organ. It was of a young, pretty Koopa Troopa, with a bright red shell and striking bright hair she wore in a ponytail. She was the same size and height as any average Koopa; after all, only Koopas with royal blood in their ancestry could inherit the same imposing stature and spiked shell Ludwig had. The picture was grainy and slightly yellowed, having been taken on a camera that was many years out of date. Photos of his Koopa were rare – possession of them had become illegal in the Koopa Kingdom since before Bowser had started kidnapping Princess Peach. Ludwig had kept this picture hidden ever since he was young. Sometimes, at night, he had used to go look at it...particularity when his father had turned down another of his genius ideas. Queen Lavaria Koopa...the Koopa Kingdom's greatest secret.

Ludwig didn't know that details of how his parents had met. Back when she had been alive, Lavaria had always said Kamek had disproved of the relationship owing to her being a commoner. Likely this was die to the untimely death of King Morton Koopa Sr in the war against the Mushroom Kingdom. Kamek had had to work hard to preserve Morton's heir's right to the throne, since a good many of Morton's ambitious generals who had survived the war had tried to stake a claim and marrying into a noble family would certainly have strengthed Bowser's power. Of course, any bad blood between Kamek and Lavaria had been eventually straightened out. He clearly remembered the two drinking tea together, and the study of magic with the old Magikoopa had been one of his mother's favourite pastimes.

Ludwig's piece became slower and more somber. As he hated showing weakness in front of others, Ludwig had trained himself not to cry. Instead, he channeled his emotion into his music, conveying the feelings of his heart to the word through his piano and organ. Lavaria had been a great mother, one who loved all of her children equally and encouraged them in all of their interests. Without her, the Koopa family...no, the Koopa Kingdom, wouldn't be the same. This whole Bowser Jr thing would never have happened had she lived. She knew how to handle her husband and deal with his relative immaturity and fiery temper. But no. Out of nowhere, Ludwig von Koopa had woke up one day to be informed by a tearful Kamek that Queen Lavaria's body had been discovered in the forest (she often went on morning walks back when they lived near one), very clearly dead. And while the truth had tried to be kept from the Koopalings owing to their young ages at the time, it did not take much time on Ludwig's part to discover that the cause of death was undeniably murder.

Ludwig never had found out who did it. Likely it was on the orders of one of the terrorist groups that existed in the Koopa Kingdom; King Morton's old generals and their sons and subordinates who still weren't ready to accept Bowser on the throne. The majority of them were wiped out within that year in one of the most violent rages Ludwig had ever seen his father in. When revenge failed to satiate him, Bowser had quite literally tried to forget about Lavaria. Every picture of her was destroyed, even the ones from the family albums, and her name was banned kingdom-wide. An entire newspaper was shut down just because it ran a respectful article paying homage to a great queen who's life had been cut short. Eventually, Bowser rediscovered his childhood crush, Princess Peach, and so began the events that would take up the entirety of Ludwig's teenage years. In time, Bowser seemed to move on, and so did the other Koopalings. Most of them were too young to remember her. But Ludwig had never forgot. He was going to make his mother proud by correcting her wayward husband's mistakes!

Ludwig hit the final note of his symphony before throwing his arms back and gasping. "Absolutely amazing, Ludwig, you've done it." he said to himself, wiping the sweat from his brow. "It'll be ready for the Koopa Empire Imperial Orchestra by next week."

Ludwig felt an icy chill creep up his spine...one that he knew certainly wasn't natural. "King Boo, come out." he ordered, standing up and brushing back the blue cape he was wearing. Ludwig had taken to wearing the cape a few years after the Koopa Troop's global conquest. A maestro deserved to look dramatic.

"Ludwig..." King Boo said, slowly materializing before him. "I congratulate you on an excellent composition."

"Oh, it's nothing, King Boo, absolutely nothing." Ludwig replied. "Why are you here?"

"The envoy from Seven Stars has arrived." King Boo said, in his peculiar hiss of a voice. "She is making her way to the castle gates as we speak."

"Ahh." said Ludwig, feeling a rush of excitement. "This is quite the development." he walked away from his organ, his cape flowing behind him. King Boo slowly followed. Ludwig left the music room and began to walk down one of the palace halls. Ludwig's palace was decorated in an antiquated style which spoke of nothing but high art. Paintings of famous musicians and scientists lined the walls, while plush blue carpet covered the floor. The walls were covered in elegant dark blue or light brown wallpaper, giving it a far classier taste then most Koopa fortresses. He glanced out of one of the tall, gothic windows, looking down at the endless forest that spread out below the castle's mountain location, continuing on to the horizon. Most of the other Koopalings had been surprised when Ludwig had chosen the lands that would become his Sector Seven. For the most part, Sector Seven only consisted of the Wooded Kingdom along with a few other tiny lands of little consequence, meaning that it was neither large nor wealthy. However, it had never been a decision Ludwig had regretted in the slightest. A kingdom which was so far-removed from the world's affairs and so covered in uncharted forests was perfect for conducting his tests. He had weapons he was cooking up that Koopa High Command hadn't the faintest idea existed. Of course, all this couldn't have been achieved alone. He'd made connections...most obviously with Larry, since the sneaky Koopa had been his partner-in-crime since childhood, but also with Roy and with the organization that referred to itself as Seven Stars.

Seven Stars was an organization that was shrouded in secrecy, so much in fact that he was sure the Koopa Empire's intelligence network knew very little about it. It was a criminal organization and arms dealing group that had it's fingers in nearly every shady operation in the world. Groups like the Pianta Mafia and the Robbo Gang were partially owned by Seven Stars, who controlled over a quarter of their shares. People called them the shadow government of the underworld...a group that few knew about, and even fewer dared to speak of. It had taken years of work and over a billion coins to form this partnership. Every inch of it was worth it. Thanks to them, he had under-the-radar access to rare materials even his father would have trouble getting his claws on.

Ludwig descended down the massive grand staircase in his chandelier-lit entrance hall. Two Koopatrols were holding the palace's huge doors open as Ludwig strode to the entrance. Ludwig's castle was at the edge of a large ravine high up in one of the Wooded Kingdom's snowy mountains, spanned by a gigantic stone bridge. Snow was falling right now, although Ludwig paid no attention to the cold. The bridge had been snow-shovelled just twenty minutes earlier, to make way for the esteemed guests.

At the end of the bridge Ludwig could see an aircraft which looked to him like a giant yellow helicopter with four rotors. There were three figures making their way down the bridge, their yellow outfits standing out against the white snow. Ludwig clasped his hands behind his shell and adjusted his pose. As they drew closer, Ludwig saw that his visitors consisted of two Koopa Troopas and one Magikoopa. The Koopas were dressed in some kind of uniform that also incorporated a visor over their eyes. The Magikoopa's golden robes were more ornate then most Magikoopas he had seen, being longed and etched with strange, hexagonal patterns. "Yellow Star." Ludwig spoke, addressing the Magikoopa. "How nice to finally be able to speak with a member of the board of directors in person."

"The pleasure is all mine, Prince Ludwig von Koopa." Yellow Star said, with a short bow. She looked up at the castle, studying it. "Quite the impressive structure you have here, Prince Ludwig. I see you are a Koopa of taste."

"Never have been anything else, Yellow Star." Ludwig replied, turning around with a swish of his cape. "Mind I show you to your quarters?"

"I can wait at the moment, Ludwig." Yellow Star replied curtly. "After all, I'd like to show you one of the items we are offering and I do not want to dirty your palace."

"Of course." Ludwig nodded, turning around and looking at Yellow Star curiously. This was his the first time seeing her in person, although he had dealt with her subordinates before. She was old...around Kammy's age, it looked like.

"As you and Seven Stars have entered into a more intimate business relationship, I will allow you to call me by my real name, Krezena Goldenwand." Krezena announced. "I have many things I wish to discuss with you. For instance..." she smirked as her two guards moved out of the way. Ludwig stared at her in tense anticipation, wondering what new things she was about to offer. After all, they were partners now, not simply two parties buying and selling. Krezena pointed her wand at the bridge and it's green tip glowed. There was a puff of magic runes and quite out of nowhere, a small, rather beat-up flying saucer appeared. There was a tiny hole in the top, far too small for Ludwig to fit in. In fact, it looked like there was so little space in the cockpit that if a Toad had tried to sit in it, part of it's mushroom cap would hang out like a little dome. It looked completely unremarkable to an untrained eye...but not to Ludwig. He recognized the small, unintimidating craft almost instantly.

"That's Shroob technology!" he exclaimed, leaning down to examine the saucer more closely. "Krezena, you and your people have outdone themselves again." he tapped his claw on the dented surface. Even though this tiny ship was in many ways far inferior to his own creations, even he had to admit that the Shroobs had made some advances in the field of science that no one in this world had. Their lasers, for example, were far more efficient then Bullet Bills and he had just been aching to get his hands on one of them.

"I trust you're impressed." said Krezena confidently. "Now, your offer of taking this inside still stands, yes?"

"Of course, madame." Ludwig nodded, walking back inside the palace as the Seven Stars members followed him. He motioned for the two Koopatrols to pick up the Shroob UFO. As his feet once again touched the plush blue carpet, he smiled cruelly. There was a reckoning coming, and neither his father nor Bowser Jr were prepared. They weren't kids anymore. In the past he and Junior had been able to put aside their differences and act like friends and brothers for the sake of childish mischief and defeating a common enemy. Those days were long gone. It was time to take back what was rightfully his.


	24. An Uncertain Future

**Chapter Twenty-Four: An Uncertain Future**

 _Sorry this chapter is a little late. I'm trying to upload at least once a week, but I can't make any promises. You can at least expect there won't be any six-month (or longer!) hiatuses on this story though; I got plenty of spare time to work on it. I appreciate all the attention it's been getting though; seeing all the views, follow/favourites, and reviews really motivates me!_

Slowly, Cobal blinked his eyes open. Wherever he was, he was certainly not in Conkdor Canyon anymore, judging from the pale white artificial light above him. There was a warm, relaxing feeling washing over his body. As his eyes adjusted to the light, Cobal saw a female, white-robed Koopa with spectacles running a glowing wand over his body. Further looking around him, he saw that he was seating on a small hospital bed in a what seemed to be the medical ward of one of the battleships, judging from the wooden planks it was built out of and the small, circular windows. His squad was surrounding him, with looks ranging from relief to amazement.

"Well." Cobal sighed. Surprisingly he didn't feel hurt at all despite his incredible ordeal of falling off an exploding battleship, far too many feet down to the ground. Guess he could thank the Koopa Troop for one thing...it's healing Magikoopas were top-notch.

"Man, Cobal, you were so amazing!" the exitable voice of Masko shouted out, rushing to his bedside. "I saw you flying through the air and I was like 'No way, is that really Cobal', but then, like, the gossip started spreading and suddenly guys who hated me yesterday are grilling me with info about you!"

"Yeah, you're a total celebrity now!" Ploder chimed in, rushing to Cobal. The dark green Bob-omb was too short to stand at eye level with Cobal, so he kept jumping up and down excitedly. "Even Shroomer's a hero!" the Toad blushed, rubbing his red mushroom cap.

"That's just...great..." Cobal sighed, rubbing his eyes and straightening up on his pillow. He appreciated the support he was getting but, honestly? No way he wanted to go down in history as a Koopa Troop member.

"No need to be humble, son." the scratched Dry Bones Kooperly chuckled in his crotchety voice, rubbing his skull as he spoke. "Your manoeuvre was straight out of the First Koopa War. It was like Antonio himself had joined the battle!"

"Yeah, that brings up a great image, being compared to some old dude I've only heard about from you." Cobal chuckled sarcastically. The entire squad laughed, causing Kooperly to shrug.

"Kids these days, skipping school to play video games." he laughed.

"Hey Cobal, some Chargin' Chuck named Jake has set up a bar down at camp!" Masko exclaimed, leaning in. Cobal was sure that under his mask he was just brimming with enthusiasm. "We gotta go grab a Chuckola Cola together!"

"No, Masko!" Ploder chided, his fuse sparking. "There's no way Cobal can go into the middle of the camp! The Goombington brothers and Booler are going to swarm him and try to get training tips!"

As Cobal listened to the conversation (no way he was going to pass on Luigi's training tips to a bunch of Koopa Troop members), he became aware of Strike, leaning in the doorway. The Fire Bro had not been participating in the conversation, but Cobal suddenly realized that he had been watching him ever since he'd woken up. As they made eye contact, Strike made a gesture for Cobal to come over.

"Sorry, guys, I got a chat with the corporal." Cobal sighed, throwing off the white covers. Every inch of his body felt completely invigorated. He wasn't even sore as he crossed the medical bay to the doorway, where Strike was waiting. Cobal felt a prickle of unease. There was something about the serious Koopa that intimidated him. He seemed very...intense. He couldn't even dare to think about what would happen if Strike discovered his true loyalties.

When Cobal reached Strike, Strike waited until Cobal was outside the medical bay, before closing the door, leaving them alone in the small corridor, faintly lit by the white lights above them. "You feeling all right?" Strike asked. There was no kindness in his voice; he was simply checking if a soldier was still fit for battle.

"Those Magikoopas really did a number on me." Cobal replied, looking over his smooth blue skin. There was not a single scratch. He turned back to the scarred Fire Bro. "You still got my glasses?"

Strike silently handed back the dark shades Cobal had stolen from Captain Soiler. He'd gotten quite attached to them. "We're all quite impressed by your performance. Captain Shyrif wanted to discipline you for breaking line, but eventually he decided to let you off. Because you destroyed those two warships, Cobal, that gave us an opening for a full-on charge. We pushed Prince Roy's forces back for the second time yesterday."

"Just doin' my job, corporal." Cobal replied as he placed on the shades. Had Strike really called him all the way out here just for a compliment?"

"The general wants to speak with you." Strike said lowly.

Cobal's heart began to beat. The general? Oh no...he was getting way in over his head now. "You don't mean...General Flame?"

"No." Strike replied sharply. "As we are in Sector Two, we are following the orders of officers working under Prince Morton. The man in command of the Sprixie Kingdom front is named General Motley. He's sort of an obscure member of Koopa Troop history...he doesn't have a seat on High Command like many of our generals. However...he does have one claim to his name that that idiot Flame doesn't...Motley has fought Mario three times and lived to tell the tale."

"Whoa." Cobal nodded, while at the same time feeling relieved. Judging from the way the governor of the Mushroom Kingdom portrayed himself in the broadcast announcing the conscription, he didn't look like the kind of guy Cobal would want to meet. "Hey, Strike." Cobal said, pacing a few steps down the corridor to stretch his legs. "What exactly does the general want to talk to me about."

"I'll leave that to him." Strike replied. "Let's get a move on. You have a Koopa Cruiser due at Lava-Lake Keep in an hour."

* * *

A few moments later, Cobal stood on the open-air observation deck of the Koopa Cruiser, watching as it flew over the sea of white, fluffy clouds. It was early morning as the sun was shining down onto the deck as the cruiser continued to climb higher. The morning air was cool and relaxing. As Cobal gripped the guard rail and stared over the seemingly-endless expanse of the sky, he found it easy to forget there was a war going on below; even easy to forget that the whole world was still in the grip of tyranny. Yes...just what was going to happen to the Koopa Empire, Cobal though to himself as he listened to the roar of the engine behind him. Two of the Koopalings were at war with each other, and the outcome of the conflict would drastically change the empire. What was more, Bowser Jr had already pledged to help Morton, which meant that it was highly likely all of the emperor's children would be forced to chose a side. A world war was coming, and somehow Cobal didn't like it. Yeah, someone less cynical then him would hope that the splintered Koopa Empire would just end up destroying itself and the Mushroom Kingdom could rebuild from the ashes. There was a huge problem with that, though. If there are two sides standing on each end of a field shooting at each other, what happens to all the guys who are minding there own business in the middle? It would take a miracle for this to result in anything other then bad for the Mushroom Kingdom and the rest of the people the Koopas had overtaken.

As the Koopa Cruiser continued to rise, Cobal once again looked on the massive, spike-covered dome of Lava-Lake Keep, bathed in the rays of the rising sun. There were several battleships hovering around it and as the Koopa Cruiser approached, Cobal could see tiny figures scurrying all over the massive military base. Seems even with fighting going down below, the main base was still a whirlwind of activity.

A few minutes after landing, Cobal found himself inside the main citadel, standing before a large, imposing brown door, flanked by two burning torches. "Go on." Strike urged him from behind. "You can't keep the general waiting."

"All right, then." Cobal nodded, before pushing the heavy doors open and entering General Motley's office.

The general's office was neat, tidy, and scarcely furnished, although Cobal could sense that this was more due to official regulations rather then it's occupants' personal preference. The room was circular in shape, with a large rug featuring the typical Koopa Troop emblem in the floor. A long brown desk with a high backed chair was set at the room's end, with a massive window behind it looking over the artificial sea of lava that was behind the main citadel. Cobal noted a tall, long bridge running the length of the lava sea. Supposedly, according to troop gossip, the emperor had raced down this bridge on his private sports car tossing exploding soccer balls at Mario and his companions. Really, if all these stories were to be believed, the Koopa Emperor sounded like quite the eccentric.

The only bits of personal customization in the room were the pictures on the walls, which all featured the circus of some kind. Notably, one very large picture (seemingly taken at a distance) showed a large, silver, clown-like colossus leaping into the air towards a small, red figure.

"Hey there, Mr. Cobal!" came a high-pitched voice from the desk, causing him to sharply jerk his head away from the picture. Cobal saw, sitting at the table, an unusual-looking Koopa. Compared to the usual Koopa face, the general's face was more rounded, almost in the same way Captain Boom Boom from back in Toad Town was. This Koopa was far smaller though...about a head shorter then average. "The name's Motley Bossblob!" the Koopa exclaimed, leaping onto the table with a somersault. "Nice to meet yah!"

"I'll admit...you're not what I pictured meeting." Cobal said skeptically, looking over the jester's outfit the diminutive Koopa was wearing. Seriously, did the Koopa Troop even have a dress code.

"Yeah, I know." Motley laughed, sliding off the table onto the floor. "I'm a bit of an unconventional type. But you know..." he said as he began walking towards Cobal, "That means I can understand fellow unconventional people like you. You got some skills, Cobal. Some crazy, almost Mario-bro like skills. Not quite _that_ good yet..." he chuckled, shooting a glance at the picture Cobal had been staring at, "But I can see the potential." Motley walked up to Cobal and pointed a claw right at the Yoshi's face. "And I got an idea you're going to use that power to put an end to this war. This thing's gonna get _real_ nasty if we don't put em' on ice soon, Cobal." he chuckled darkly as he began to pace around the room. "This hasn't hit the news just yet, but..." he smiled coldy, "Prince Roy's forces just hit Sector Five and Sector Six. Prince Iggy and Prince Lemmy are in the war now, whether they want to be or not. And that's not all...our reports have noticed several battleships bearing the markings of Prince Larry in the enemy invasion fleets." he stopped pacing and looked right at Cobal with his peculiar, odd-coloured eyes. "Yup, this is turning into a real mess, all right."

"So, what do you want me to do about it?" Cobal asked, still processing the information. "Are you asking me to just barge into Roy and Larry's castles and punch em' out?"

"No, no, of course not." Motley chuckled, holding up his hands in protest. "Even a kid with your skills wouldn't be able to do that. "Prince Roy's powerful enough to smash a hole through a Thwomp with one punch and a couple of my buddies over in the Sector One army told me Larry's castle has been booby-trapped so much they all are marked with a special magic rune so the traps know to ignore them. You take a single wrong step in that place, a Chain Chomp bites your head off. Not gonna risk a guy with your talents on a suicide mission, Cobal."

"So what's the big idea?" Cobal asked, peering at Motley very closely from behind his shades. "Did you just come right up here to congratulate me?"

"No." Motley shook his head, his voice growing serious. "This is much more important. You're one of the first-ever Yoshis to serve under our flag. I'll admit I was skeptical, but you've proved my wrong. It'll take talent to win this war. That's why I'm making you a corporal."

Everything seemed to stop. What...what was even happening? Suddenly the general's office, Motley Bossblob, even the ever-present heat from the lava sea seemed to disappear. He, a rebel who's only goal was to destroy the empire, was now a Koopa Troop _officer?_ He would be in command of his own squad, composed of people who had probably gone through prestigious military academies and had dedicated there entire life to serving Emperor Bowser. This was wrong...all wrong.

"It...it's an honour." Cobal managed to say, not looking at Motley directly.

Motley laughed. "Go, have a day to celebrate with your friends." he chuckled. "Report to me tomorrow and I'll see about getting together a squad. Oh, and don't join the fighting today. Wouldn't want my new star killed by a stray Bob-omb."

* * *

Cobal was in a daze as he exited the general's office. This was something he had never expected. Luigi had to know about this. This changed this massively. Now that he was about to be in a position of authority, he could learn Koopa Troop secrets. He might be able to inform the resistance of their movements before they actually happened. At the same time, there was increased risk. Even his own subordinates would be unable to know his own loyalty, unless...yes, if he had other conscripts placed under his command, he could create a safe place for them, let them know that there was hope! The possibilities were endless.

"Congratulations, Cobal." Strike said politely as Cobal walked past him. "You'll do the empire proud."

"Yeah, sure." he nodded distractedly. "

Hey, is there any place I could get a phone? I don't have one and I really need to make a call to my family."

"Take the corridor right of the main staircase, second floor, three doors down." Strike said. "We got about thirty phones there for private use."

As Cobal walked down the hallway of the fortress, deep in thought, he passed a window looking over the sky. He had passed many such windows in the fortress, so he did not pay it any attention. If he had, for a split second, he could have seen the maroon-robed Fly Guy watching. The Fly Guy put down his binoculars, revealing the black stamp of a Fire Flower on his white mask. The Fly Guy tapped a device on his hood, placed over where his ear would be, turning it off. Thanks to it's hearing-enhancing technology, he had heard everything. This was a new development, that was for sure. He flew off into the clouds, his presence detected by no one.

Cobal reached the call centre, a room filled with nothing but phone booths, soon after the shocking news. To his relief, it was empty. Just to be on the safe side, Cobal chose the phone booth in the far corner, in the last row of booths. Then he dialed the number of the only family member he knew. For the first time since his abduction, they were about to get an update.

* * *

There was a tense mood in Toad Town. All of the cheerfulness and bright optimism seemed to have evaporated and been replaced by a dark feeling of dread. Luigi walked down the road leading from the castle into the Town Square, paying the bright sun and clear air no attention. The cheerful birdsong seemed out-of-place in the face of the disaster that seemed ready to befall them.

The five Koopa Troop airships hung in about two hundred meters from the main gate. They hadn't moved an inch through the night. Luigi did not know if they were sent to attack, or simply observe, but the fact remained that the Koopa Troop was well aware of their activities and probably had the firepower to wipe them out any time they chose. He forced himself to remain hopeful. They might not have a Star Rod or a Dreamstone to instantly grant their wishes, but they'd managed to take Toad Town back and with that same sort of determination, they could hold it.

Reconstruction of the houses had been haulted and all of the workers were hard at work at the wall...although it seemed that both it and the city's catapults and new Bill Blasters would be finished far too late. Toads not working were huddled in small groups, discussing with each other in hushed tones. They looked at him as he walked into the square, as if expecting him to produce a solution to the problem. Luigi grit his teeth, adjusted his cap, and stepped into the centre of the square. Maybe he couldn't inspire people like his brother had, but by the stars, he'd try his best.

"Luigi, we've prepared an escape route through the warp pipes." Toadette said, running over to Luigi with a concerned look on her face. "If worst comes to worse, the children and the elderly will be able to escape through the sewers. They'll take the furthest pipe all the way to Shiver City. I know that Starborn Valley has been closed off by a magical barrier ever since Bowser's conquest, but we can only hope the Star Spirits will take pity on us and let us in."

"Yeah." Luigi nodded, looking up at the clear sky. "You know, we sure could use there help now. I...I'm been making a wish on Star Road ever since...it happened, but nothing's come of it."

"The Star Spirits can't grant every wish, Luigi." Toadette sighed. "If they stopped every war, every tragedy from happening the world wouldn't ever progress and we'd never learn from our mistakes. Still..." her face darkened. "I have heard rumours there may be a more sinister reason why our wishes haven't been able to stop the Empire."

"Huh?" Luigi asked. He had often wondered about this himself, the reason why the kind Star Spirits seemed to silent.

"I talked to an old friend from Decalburg a few months ago." Toadette said in a dark voice. "She said that the year the Mushroom Kingdom fell, the Koopa Troop had thousands of Magikoopas in the festival square on the day the Sticker Comet was about to arrive. They cast all these spells on it and trapped it in some kind of barrier before carrying it away."

"And that means..." Luigi asked, rather unfamiliar with the Sticker Comet. After all, his bro had forgotten to bring him along on that adventure and he'd only watched from the sidelines. Supposedly, according to Mario, he really hadn't missed much.

"It's a wish-granting artifact, Luigi." Toadette replied seriously. "It's power is equal to the Star Rods'. As long as the Koopa Empire has the Sticker Comet, they can wish for themselves to be immune to the power of the stars. Even the Star Spirits can't touch em' now."

"But does that mean..." Luigi gasped, shuddering as he recalled the state his brother had been in when he had tried to face a Star Rod-powered Bowser many years ago. Was _the entire Koopa Empire invincible_ now?"

"Don't worry." Toadette cut in. "I know what you're thinking. You beat the garrison here, so I think you already know the answer. I'd like to think that the Star Spirits are up in Star Haven doing there part. They might not have enough power to cancel out the Sticker Comet, but they at least have enough to make sure the Koopa Troop is only immune to the power of wishes, not conventional fighting."

"Well...that's a relief." Luigi nodded, before turning to the menacing, gun-covered warships on the horizon. "Sure wish the Star Spirits could wish away those airships. This isn't going to be a good fight. Where _are_ Wario and Waluigi?"

"Back in Mushroom City, loading up on supplies." Toadette said grimly, shaking her head. "Funny, the only time I actually want those crooks around is when they're out of town."

That just made things worse. If Wario and Waluigi were away, that meant that Toadette and himself were the only capable fighters in the city. His trainees were coming along very well (especially Billy from the Toad Brigade, that martial arts book he was learning from seemed to be working wonders), but none of them were ready to face five whole battleships of Koopa Troop members yet. The battleships were five times the size of the airships Luigi was used to, and each seemed to have ten times the firepower. Just one of them looked like it could level Toad Town. Even Mario would have a hard time getting out of this one.

Luigi was suddenly jolted out of his thoughts by an excited voice to his right.

"By boggity, Luigi, he's alive! It's Cobal!"

"Huh?!" Luigi exclaimed to see Toadbert running at him, waving his phone and looking as if he had no idea about the menacing Koopa threat on their doorstep. Cobal...what, really? Luigi suddenly felt a burst of hope. Sure, it wasn't like Cobal would be able to do much against the threat they were up against, but Luigi had been kicking himself for bringing the young Yoshi into danger ever since Mushroom City and he couldn't express just how grateful he was to hear he was ok. "Really!?" Luigi shouted, running towards Toadbert. "Let me talk to him!"

"Sure thing, Luigi!" Toadbert said, stumbling over his words in excitement. "Apparently he's just dying to talk to you, too!"

Luigi put the phone to his ear and walked a few feet out the town square. "Cobal?" he asked.

"Big L." came the voice from the other end of the phone. "It's been a long time." Cobal sounded overwhelmed and yet extremely relieved at the same time.

"Cobal...are you ok?" Luigi quickly asked. "What happened to you? They forced you into the Koopa Troop, didn't they?"

"Yeah." Cobal's voice was grim, and Luigi felt pity for him. "Shipped me over to Sector Two to fight in the civil war."

"Civil war?" Luigi asked, his interest pricked. This was the first time he'd heard of it. What would this mean for the Mushroom Kingdom.

"You heard that right." Cobal replied. "It's Prince Roy and Prince Larry vs. Bowser Jr, Morton, Iggy, and Lemmy at this point. I've been fighting in Conkdor Canyon against the Sector Four invasion force. Apparently I did such a good job at it they decided to go over and make me a corporal."

"W...what?" Luigi gasped. Rebellious, empire-hating Cobal a Koopa Troop officer? Whoever made that decision must _really_ not know him that well. "L...listen, Cobal, I know you might be tempted to go strike them from the inside, but that's a really, really dangerous thing to do, so don't get in over your head...ok?"

"No worries." Cobal replied back confidently. "I'm taking it slowly. Gonna see if I can help the conscripts first, then work on transferring you any strategies relating to the Mushroom Kingdom I here of. Thankfully I won't have to fight you guys; the rebel sectors are top priority right now and I have a feeling they're going to stay that way for a while. I know what I'm doing. I ain't planting Bob-ombs in the emperor's throne room just yet, Luigi, so no need to worry."

"Just...just stay safe, ok?" Luigi warned. Cobal's surprise promotion had opened up dozens of new opportunities for the resistance, as did the idea of the Koopa Empire at war with itself. There was one thing that pricked at his mind, however. "Cobal...just what kingdoms are part of Sector Two?"

"Sarasaland and the Sprixie Kingdom." Cobal replied. "Apparently Prince Morton rules from Princess Daisy's old castle in Sarasa City."

Luigi shuddered. Sarasaland was at war. He had no idea what Daisy was up to...she could be dead for all he knew. But if she was alive, even as a prisoner, she would be horrified at her kingdom being destroyed even more then it probably had been during King Bowser's conquest. "Hey...kick Roy and Larry's shells for me, ok?" Luigi asked. "I sort of...well...please protect Sarasaland. There's...somebody who lives there that I want to keep safe."

"I understand, Big L." Cobal replied. "Hey, how are things on your end? You seeing that Toad Town you remember yet?"

Luigi looked around, at the freshly painted roofs of the newly-repaired Toad Houses...to the menacing battleships hovering in the air, likely just waiting for the order to fire. "D...don't worry about us." he quickly said. "Just concentrate on your end, ok? You're doing great, Cobal. I'm really proud of you."

"Thanks, man." Cobal replied. "Keep it loose, k?"

"Yeah..." Luigi nodded, before hanging up on the phone. He turned back to the battleships. He had no idea when they would strike, but it was his job to make sure Toad Town would be ready when they did. He began to walk back to Toadette. Escape routes, battle strategies...this was a different sort of fighting then the fighting he had done when he was younger, but, this was his situation whether he liked it or not. Toad Town depended on him.

Cobal sighed as he put down the phone. Luigi's praise had given him increased encouragement. Who knew...maybe he'd really distinguish himself in this conflict. After all, he was going up against the cruelest Koopalings, so it wasn't like he was going to hold back. Even rule under Bowser Jr was better then rule under Roy, if the news reports of what went down in the Sand Kingdom were any indication. Maybe he'd get promoted more...to captain, or even to general. Hey, who knew, maybe he'd get to High Command and convince the council to pressure the emperor for equal rights for all species and Mushroom Kingdom independence. Yup, there were a multitude of things you could do when you were on your enemy's good side. Maybe he should go have that Chuckola Cola with Masko after all. Cobal turned around from the telephone. What he saw made his heart stop.

Strike was standing right behind him, his face harder and icier then Cobal had ever seen it. He was pointing at him, his fingers in a gun position with a glowing fireball at the end if his fingertip. "Don't you dare move a muscle, you filthy rat." the Fire Bro hissed in a voice so cold it sent chills up Cobal's spine. Instantly, Cobal knew that it was all over.


	25. The Koopaling War

**Chapter Twenty-Five: The Koopaling War**

It was midday at Neon City. The hot desert winds blew grains of sand past Roy's face as he stood before Neon Castle's landing platform, his arms crossed. Below him, in the bright, multi-coloured city, the sounds and anthems of it's gambling halls continued to play while it's ruler mused up above. Roy shot a glance at Larry. The younger Koopa was sitting on battlements, drumming his claws on the stone and making a clicking noise that was driving Roy mad.

"Can you stop that?" he hissed.

"What?" Larry asked innocently, continuing to drum his fingers even louder. Roy growled and turned away from him. He stared up at the cloudless blue sky. There was a shiny dot high up in the air, that was steadily coming closer.

For once, Roy felt thankful to Ludwig. The meddlesome Koopa had finally given him the go-ahead to utilize the full force of his army and fleet. What was more, the sectors controlled by Iggy and Lemmy were now targets. It was probably the nicest present Ludwig had even given him since that spiky baseball bat he'd gotten when he was seven.

The approaching Koopa cruiser drew closer, the scorching sun shining off it's blue surface. Turning slightly, the Koopa cruiser began to slowly make it's decent. Roy braced himself. There was a _very_ unwanted guest coming to his castle today. Larry was already a pain. Ludwig was insufferable.

The door to the Koopa Cruiser opened as a long metal ramp extended. Ludwig von Koopa strode down, that ridiculous blue cape he'd taken to wearing fluttering in the wind, and a pompous expression on his face. "Ah, dear brother!" Ludwig exclaimed. "I hope you will be..." he took a very close look at Roy's sunglasses-covered face, " _Happy_ to see me?"

"Yeah, let's get the greetings over with." Roy grunted, turning around and stomping back towards the door. His brother had already made him wait an hour in the Sand Kingdom's painfully hot sun and he was ready to cool off. "Why are you here, Ludwig. Come on, I don't have all day."

"You should be grateful to me, Roy." Ludwig said as Roy walked into the thankfully-cool hallway of the castle. "I allowed you to finally launch an assault that could destroy your younger brothers."

"Yeah, and I would've done it sooner if it hadn't been for you!" Roy spat, glaring darkly at Ludwig's pompous face.

"Bros, cut it out!" Larry yawned from behind them as the three Koopalings continued into the castle.

"We need to come up with a strategy, Roy." Ludwig continued as they wound a bend, walking down a wide staircase covered with purple carpet. "If we just throw our troops at them, Father will come out on top. We need to deal with this intellectually."

"Intellect's for school, not for fighting!" Roy chuckled as he reached the foot of the stairs. Seriously, he didn't have time for Ludwig's mind games!

Ludwig suddenly growled and stretched out his hand. Roy suddenly felt a force like an iron clamp clench against his throat as he was lifted forcefully into the air until he tangled three meters above Ludwig. Ludwig neared as his hand glowed with magical blue light. "Don't mock me, Roy." he hissed. "You must remember that it is I who is in command of this alliance! Without me, you will be crushed. My technology is what will allow us to defeat Father's infinite resources. Go, throw yourself at him, by all means. Enjoy a lifetime at Stoneshell Prison."

He released his magical grip and Roy fell to the ground, gasping. He felt humiliated, being assaulted by his brother like this in his own castle, in front of his own troops. "That smily, no good, shellcreeper..." Roy thought to himself as he rose to his feet, meeting Ludwig's gaze. He gave a cocky smirk. Ludwig did not seem impressed.

"Whatever, pal." Roy said, shaking his head and walking away. "You supply the ammo, I bring the firepower. Don't go getting ahead of yourself thinking this is your victory when I do all the heavy lifting."

The three brothers reached Roy's military command chamber. The glowing purple hologram of the world hovered above the chamber, pink dots representing Roy's forces and yellow dots representing the opposing side. Neither had made much progress as of yet.

"I see the enemy in Sector Two is holding it's own." Ludwig commented, crossing his arms. "I do hope your commanders will utilize the reinforcements we are sending them correctly, don't you, Roy?"

"Yeah, whatever." Roy grunted. Of course he hoped that. He just didn't want to seem like he agreed with Ludwig or anything.

"Of all of the Sectors, Sector Six is the weakest." Ludwig commented, looking at a section of the map that included the Snow Kingdom. "Lemmy was never one for politics. I here it's a sector that focuses on entertainment exclusively. Roy," he asked, turning to him. "Have you heard of Shy Guy Bonanza?"

Roy scoffed and shook his head. What kind of a name was that. "Of course not!" he exclaimed, as the sounds of his officers plugging in date to the command centre's computers sounded around him. "Am I supposed to keep track of all the dumb stuff Lemmy's been up to?"

"It's Sector Six's newest theme park." Ludwig replied in a know-it-all voice. "All the new cities Lemmy has been building are constructed around them. Shy Guy Bonanza's security systems have not yet been implanted. It probably doesn't even have a way to contact the military centres in case of an attack. It's a weak point. Use it."

Reluctantly, Roy nodded his head. He couldn't argue with that logic. Besides, preying on the weak was kind of his thing.

"As for Sector Five...leave it to me." Ludwig replied smugly. "I have made some more deals with my associates. There are several new weapons I would like to test out. I will lead the initial assault on the Northern Kremisphere myself."

"Yeah, whatever, bro." Roy shrugged. He honestly didn't care what Ludwig did, as long as his new weapons worked.

"Got any ideas for the long-term game plan, Lud?" Larry asked.

"Naturally." Ludwig nodded, turning to Larry. "This plan involves you. Roy...I want you to continue putting everything you have into crushing our enemies. We'll force them to band together for a central assault. Then...they'll collapse entirely."

Larry giggled. "Boy, you got the right idea!" he chuckled. Roy turned away. The last thing he wanted was either one of his brothers stealing his thunder. This was going to be _his_ empire, not Ludwig's or Larry's. Ludwig might not know it yet...but he'd be the one sitting on the throne in the end, no matter what that stuck-up Koopa might think.

* * *

As Larry walked out of the military room, he saw Koops standing in the hallway, arms crossed. As the sight of his general, Larry grinned. "Hey, Koopsy!" he chuckled. "Ready to pull out the big guns?"

Koops sighed. "Prince Larry." he said seriously. "This war...it's going to kill thousands, if not millions. Why are you even doing it? You have absolute control of the entire Rogueport region and you've said it yourself you don't want to be emperor. Do these people mean nothing to you?"

Larry shrugged. That was the problem with Koops...he was far too moralistic to be a truly perfect soldier, even though he excelled at everything else. Good thing he was easy to keep in line. "Hey, don't go turning traitor on me." Larry grinned, pointing a claw at Koops. "My mark's still on your wife and kids. All it takes is a snap of my fingers, and good-bye, Koopie Koo."

Koops gaze hardened as he turned away. "I'm not betraying you, Larry." he said darkly. "I just hope you understand what you are doing."

* * *

Grand General Shelldon eased into his seat at the head of the table. The meeting of Koopa High Command was now in session. High Command met in a darkened chamber draped by Koopa banners, lit by flickering torchlight. A large balcony looked over the room, on which were placed nine empty thrones. These were so that the royal family could preside over the meetings; although currently, none were present. Shelldon's eyes wandered over the nineteen generals who were sitting at the long table with him. Three of the seats were empty...Crushell, King Boo, and Koops. Crushell wasn't much of a problem. As far as strategic talent and physical strength went, he was on the lower end of the High Command members. King Boo signing on to the enemy side, however, was a dangerous notion. He'd been with the Koopa Troop for decades, and his skill with magic was unmatched by nobody except for perhaps Ludwig and Kammy. As for Koops...he was considered by everyone to be the Koopa Troop's ace. Shelldon liked Koops. It was his intention for the Koopa to become the new Grand General after he retired, but with the way things were going that might not be possible.

Shelldon pressed a button, causing a hologram of the Mushroom World to appear over the table. "As you know, the separatists have increased their numbers and are now advancing on sectors two, five, and six. There is clearly a intelligent strategy behind these attacks. I find the assumption that our enemies' ultimate goal is to take control of the entire empire easy to believe."

"Have they no loyalty at all?" King Bob-omb scoffed from his oversized chair as he stroked his puffy white moustache.

"We must act accordingly." Shelldon said sternly. "I want troops across every border. We can not allow our enemies to gain any territory. The emperor's mental health is already bad enough as it is. If the rebelling princes start to make headway, it could deteriorate altogether."

"What's the plan, sir?" General Goomp asked.

"After asserting our dominance over the world our military has not been mobilized, instead remaining on the defences to deal with rebel groups. Now that we have a full-scale war, I want all troops pulled the front lines. Only a token amount will remain behind in our bases. Naturally, we will adjust this accordingly to the situation, but for now, we need our troops where we need them most."

The was a voice from further down the table as someone cleared his throat. "Uh...Grand General Shelldon, sir."

Shelldon sighed as he saw the speaker. General Flame, from Sector Eight. He'd never liked him. More likely then not the only reason why he'd been able to make it to High Command was because of General Lakitelli's tragic airship accident. Shelldon had personally voted against Flame's acceptance, although in that case he had been outvoted. "What is it, Flame?" Shelldon asked evening, placing his hands on his chair's armrests.

"Don't you think, sir, that our troops in our Sectors have work to do? I mean..." he smiled. "You never know what kind of enemies could be hiding in our midst."

"Terrorist factions are not our priority right now." Shelldon replied sternly. "Even Fire Flower has never been able to threaten the Koopa Empire like this alliance has. Unless if I get a confirmed report of terrorist activity, I want all of your forces at the front lines without question."

Flame scowled. He looked upset about something. Whatever it was, he wasn't speaking up about it. Shelldon certainly hoped Flame wasn't keeping a potential threat secret from the council. A petty action like that could put the entire empire at risk.

* * *

Princess Daisy sat on a chair in her private quarters, staring at at the red-tiled roofs of Sarasa City. It looked so peaceful right now...almost like in the pre-empire days. If only the huge Koopa battleships hovering above the city ruined that image.

Daisy had always been a fighter. She had been horrified when she had learned Mario had been killed and Peach and Luigi were missing, presumed dead. When the Koopas came to Sarasaland she gave them the fight of their lives. For an entire year the Sarasaland army kept the Koopa Troop back. But it was a small and underarmed army, kept fighting only because of their spirit. It was hard for Daisy to admit defeat. If it had just been her, she would have gone down fighting. But the fact was, it wasn't just her. She was the ruler of an entire kingdom. So, with infinite regret, Daisy ended her resistance. The Koopas had rolled in, and Sarasaland had become part of Sector Two.

Daisy was infinitely thankfully that fate had ordained Morton Koopa Jr to be the new ruler of her kingdom. He had always been one of the better-natured Koopalings. Rather then being shipped off to some sort of maximum-security prison, she'd simply been placed under house arrest in her own palace. Daisy's room was well-furnished, with orange carpet, tons of huge windows looking over the large, rustic city, and the most gorgeous flower paintings in Sarasaland. Still, she was a shell of her former self. At least, she told herself again and again, Morton valued her advice. The burly Koopa was definitely not meant to be a politician, and while they were on separate sides, seemed rather nice and even kind at times. She had, several times, persuaded him to increase the rights of non-Koopa citizens. In the entire world, Sector Two had the best living conditions for non-imperial subjects. It wasn't what she wanted...nothing like going out and kicking some shells. But at least her spirit had not been broken.

Right now, Daisy was deeply concerned. Her boarders (yes, nothing the Koopas could do would stop her from thinking of Sarasaland as her own) had been breached by a fleet of warships under the command of none other then Roy Koopa. She clenched her flower-printed coffee mug in her hand, causing the porcelain to crack. As nice as Morton was compared to the other Koopalings, she'd definitely welcome him being overthrown. But not by Roy. She'd kept up with world news ever since Toad Town had fallen. Sector Four, Roy's district of the world, was a land in tyranny. People were oppressed and used as slaves. An entire town of innocent people had been wiped out as target practice for Roy's new King Bills. Daisy looked at the city again. Far below her on the streets, she could see Toads chatting with each other, buying things at the market. Under the slack rule of Morton, they could live fairly content lives. Under Roy, they'd leave in fear forever.

Daisy heard a heavy knock on her door, and instantly knew who it was. "Come in!" she said, turning around to watch Morton Koopa Jr stomp through the door, ducking underneath the doorframe. Morton was quite the massive Koopa now...probably even a little taller then Bowser had been. The muscles on his brown-scaled arms looked strong enough to bust a hole through titanium. Once again, Daisy found herself wishing they could have a bit of an arm-wrestling contest. She'd been working out daily since her imprisonment but without her top-of-the-line exercise tools, she had no idea how in shape she was.

"Hey, Daisy." Morton said slowly, before sighing. "Got some bad news. There are hundreds of more ships approaching. The situation in Chai is already bad enough...if they get thirty more ships and hundreds of troops they'll finish us."

Daisy instantly strode to her feet and walked towards Morton, a glare on her face as she thought about the consequences. Already several villages in the Chai district of Sarasaland had been destroyed. The defeat of the Koopa army stationed there would leave thousands of lives at risk. "Hey Mort, are you a leader or are you not?" Daisy said sternly. "You get your act together! Bowser Jr's helping you, isn't he! I don't see any of his ships around here! Where are they!?"

"Uh...I..." Morton stammered. For such a huge and powerful Koopa, he was sure a big wimp.

"Morton, you have to understand this." Daisy said in a more level voice, gripping one of Morton's huge hands. "If Roy's army is allowed to advance through Chai, they're reach the city in no time. This entire castle is going to come under his control. Once they've got the capital, they've basically taken Sector Two. You don't want that to happen, huh?"

"Yeah..." Morton nodded. "Daisy, you got a point. I'll talk to Junior in a minute."

"You better." Daisy nodded with steely eyes. She hated having to leave her kingdom's defence up to a guy like this. "Hey Morton, if you let me out, I'm sure I could come up with a few ways to send your big brother packing."

"I really would, Daisy." Morton said genuinely. "You should know by now I honestly got nothing against you. But King Dad would flip. He doesn't want any old friends of Mario being allowed to have power."

"You let them push you around too much, Roy." Daisy said, with a hint of compassion. She really did sympathize with the more gentle Koopa at times. Morton had talked to her often for tips on how to govern Sarasaland. "You're probably even stronger then Roy. You have to stand up for yourself."

"I know." Morton sighed. "It's just...Roy's army is so much stronger. While we've been working together to try to make peace between our people, he's been making factory after factory that churn out weapons. Worse, he's got Larry on his side, too. There might be a spy listening in to us right now."

"Morton." Daisy said seriously. "You'll pull through. You've got Bowser Jr on your side. Talk to Iggy, Lemmy, and Wendy. Get them to help you. Plus, Koopa High Command and all the forces in Koopa Central have got your back. You aren't the underdog here."

"Sometimes I feel like it." Morton replied, shaking his head. "T...thanks for helping me out, Daisy."

"Never a problem, Mort." Daisy smiled. Morton closed the door behind him and walked away, his footsteps echoing through the castle long after he had left. Daisy sighed and fell down onto her orange-covered bed. Being a prisoner sucked. Who knew, though? The world was changing. Maybe someday soon...she wouldn't be stuck in here any longer.


	26. Liberation

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Liberation**

 _Thank you to CadmanRiver for pointing out that some of my paragraphs seem a bit oversized. I know how it can be a bit of a pain to read huge walls of text, so I hope this is written a bit better. One extra note before the story: reading it over, I noticed that the tavern Luigi frequents before he meets Cobal is named "Shroomer's Pub" and the Toad who Cobal befriends is named "Shroomer". While I'm sure most of you don't even remember the pub's name, for the benefit of new people who are reading the entire story all the way through as opposed to being caught up, I'd like to clarify that this is a coincidence. Once again, thanks for all the reviews and if any of you have some legitimate criticisms, don't feel bad about saying them. I don't get offended easily; if you don't like something I'll take it to heart and work to make it better._

* * *

Luigi stood on the top floor of Peach's Castle, facing the window and looking over Toad Town. The Toads were still hard at work constructing the wall. Already the town was looking clearer then it had in two decades, although work on reconstructing the damaged Toad Houses had been stalled. That wasn't what Luigi was looking at, however. He was looking at the plains beyond Toad Town. They were empty.

With no warning whatsoever, the five battleships that had approached Toad Town had left. They had left no troops behind, and had not fired even a single Bullet Bill at the newly-free down. This perplexed Luigi. If it had simply been a spying mission, why had they not bothered to conceal themselves? Why had they brought five entire ships, when one smaller ship could've done the job better? He felt equal unnerved and relieved. On one end, Toad Town was safe. On the other side, this could just be the start-up of a Koopa Troop scheme to destroy the town for good.

"Still suspicious, huh?" came Toadette's voice from behind him. Luigi turned around to see Toadette walking up the hallway, a concerned look on her face.

"I mean...why wouldn't I be?" Luigi asked, coming over towards her. "You know Bowser...this isn't like him! Why would the Koopas just leave?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Toadette shrugged. "Think on the bright side, Luigi. We've got more time to prepare our defences. Toadbert's made some great progress on the Bill Blasters and we're planning to rig some of them up early this evening. He's also trying to come up with some theories of the battleship's design. If he can target weak points...then we'll have away to fight against them even though we're drastically outgunned."

"That's great." Luigi smiled, before walking past Toadette down across the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Toadette asked.

"To check on the town." Luigi replied. Frightening images of the fall of Toad Town flashed through his mind. Very soon, something like that could be happening again. It was his duty to prevent that from happening.

* * *

Even though Toad Town had never looked more cheerful, the atmosphere around the people was even darker then it had been during the Koopa Troop occupation. As Luigi walked down the road to Town Square, he saw nervous people peering out of the Toad Houses, glancing up at the sky. The happiness, which had recently come back, had vanished.

Some of Luigi's optimism was restored once he reached the town square. Several Toads were practicing combat moves there, jumping and kicking imaginary Koopas. The technique was sloppy...but Luigi could see the beginnings of a fighting style that resembled his own. The Toads weren't like Cobal, who had been fighting all of his young life, so it was only naturally it was taking them longer to become competent fighters. But they were still making great progress.

"You're doing great!" Luigi exclaimed, walking into the centre of the square and gazing around at his pupils. "George, don't lift your leg up too high, you'll just get unbalanced."

"Sure thing, Luigi!" A blue-capped Toad exclaimed, before launching into another kick that was significantly better.

"Oh...Luigi!" came the voice of Billy, who ran up towards him. The yellow Toad looked a little nervous. "Some...people want to see you."

"Yeah, finally you're here, Luigi!" came a gruff voice to Luigi's left. Luigi, unfortunately enough, knew that voice only too well. There, standing in one of the avenues next to the old item shop (now bar) were the yellow and purple brothers themselves.

"Yeah, you slowpoke!" Waluigi laughed, pointing at Luigi and laughing. Luigi glared at him. He _really_ wasn't in the mood for immature jokes right now.

"Wario and Waluigi. Why are you here?" Luigi asked. "Are the supplies in?"

"Yeah, they're in." Wario nodded, picking his nose. Luigi turned away, feeling disgusted. Did his brother's old rival have no manners at all? "But hey, Luigi...there are more important things going on."

Luigi turned back to look at him. Thankfully, he wasn't picking his nose any more. "Like what?" Luigi asked curiously.

"You've heard of the war...right?" Wario asked.

Luigi nodded...he'd just heard of it from Cobal.

"Well..." Wario said, his wide mouth twisting into a smile, "The entire Koopa Troop is getting involved. Apperently the Mushroom Kingdom is considered low-risk, or whatever, because most of the troops are gone now. Apparently even the governor's gone. There's only a bit of new recruits guarding Mushroom City. My gang's got them outnumbered five to one."

This was interesting news, indeed. "What are you saying?" Luigi asked, scratching his head.

"Come on, are you stupid?" Waluigi yelled. "We're saying...we can take over the city!"

Luigi's eyes widened. Take over Mushroom City? It had seemed so well-guarded back when he'd visited it with Cobal. But Wario had no reason to trap him. While both brothers were about as trustworthy as King Boo himself, they had nothing to gain by betraying him. "I have to see this for myself." Luigi decided.

Luigi left Toad Town in the charge of Toadette. He felt guilty leaving it even for a moment, but he knew he had to see this for himself. If Mushroom City was vulnerable, he had the chance to strike a decisive blow against the Koopa Empire.

* * *

When Luigi and the Wario brothers arrived in Mushroom City via warp pipe, Luigi was shocked about how different the city seemed. It still looked worn and beaten-down from the battles that had been fought over it, and the Koopa Empire banners still hung from the buildings, reminding everyone of who was in charge. But there was a change in the city that Luigi noticed as he walked down the sidewalk behind Wario and Waluigi. There were many Koopas, of course, but most of them seemed civilians. He could see virtually no soldiers at all.

"They were right!" Luigi realized as he continued down the sidewalk, past a boarded-up old item shop. "With no soldiers...the city is basically defenceless!" The Koopa Empire banners fluttered in a light breeze. Luigi looked at them as the trio turned a corner. He shouldn't be this hopeful...should he?

Inside the headquarters of Wario's criminal gang, Luigi sat down with the Wario brothers around Wario's table. Luigi noticed that it had been repaired since the time Wario had smashed it when they'd first renewed acquaintances.

"Ok, so here's the dirt." Wario said, crossing his arms and looking first at Waluigi, and then at Luigi. "The old news broadcasting tower is where the Koopas have their main base. Most of the soldiers are going to be there, and at the shipyard. Got that?"

"Y...yeah." Luigi nodded, looking down at the map of Mushroom City Wario had down on the table. It was an old map from before the Empire, but the Koopa Troop bases had been marked, rather crudely. "Wario...I you to split your gang into three groups?"

"Huh?" Wario asked, scratching his head. "Aren't we going to charge in and smash everything?"

"N...no, you'll get some of that done...just listen to me." Luigi replied, trying to be patient. Trust Wario to be thickheaded at a time like this. "On third of the gang will secure the shipyard. The third will patrol through the city, picking off the troops on the streets. Finally, the last third will attack the main tower, on my signal."

"Ummm...I'm kind of having a hard time following all this..." Waluigi complained. Luigi shot him a dark look.

"I am going to smash a window in the tower." he explained, going over the plan he had hurriedly constructed, before turning to Wario. "Wario...do you have a map of the tower."

"One second." Wario said, before standing up and yelling; "Hey, get me a tower map, or I'll slug yah!"

Faster then Luigi had thought possible, a Goomba hurriedly arrived and brought Wario the map. Wario spread it out before Luigi, who studied it. As he had expected, the map showed the tower before the Koopas had taken it, so he'd have to guess where their important rooms would be. The main broadcasting room...that was the most critical part to hit. He had to stop them from signalling another Koopa base, or this could all be over. "I need a power-up." Luigi announced, looking at at Wario.

"We got em'." Wario nodded. "Koopas try to keep em' away from us...that just makes me want em' more."

Waluigi laughed hysterically. Luigi stood up, his limbs feeling shaky with nerves. "Do you...do you understand what you have to do, Luigi?"

"Eh, I'll figure it out." Wario shrugged.

"Remember..." Luigi said, leaning over the table (unfortunately far too close to Wario's garlic-scented breath), "Once I break the window in the tower...attack."

For a group led by Wario and Waluigi, the Mushroom City criminal gang worked very efficiently. Only an hour later, Luigi was standing on the roof of a skyscraper, gazing up at the television broadcasting tower, the highest in the city. A breeze blew past Luigi as he stared out over the battle-scarred Mushroom City, once a haven of life and freedom. He crushed the Cape Feather in his fist. Magically, a brown cape materialized on his back, flapping in the wind. Luigi narrowed his eyes, focusing on the window he knew led into the broadcasting room. This was it. His first step since Toad Town towards destroying the Koopa Empire.

Luigi leapt from the building. He let the wind flow through his cape, letting him glide through the air, hundreds of feet above the ground. He tried not to think about what would happen if he messed up his glide. All that mattered right now was making sure the people of Mushroom City were free. Luigi hit the window.

Glass shattered all around him as his fist punched into the broadcasting room. Around him, the Koopa Troop members, who had previously been loitering around, shouted and stood up, scattering papers and the food they were eating everywhere. Luigi did not stop to catch his bearings. He spun around, knocking two Koopas away with a spin of his cape before going in with a punch to take out a third.

"Stop him!" a Goomba shouted, leaping into the air for a head-bonk, but Luigi pulled back his fist and slugged the Goomba in the skull as he came hurtling towards him.

"B...by the stars, that's Luigi!" a Koopa screamed.

"Impossible, he's dead!" a Shy Guy shouted. Luigi leaped through the air, knocking the Shy Guy out with a stomp and vaulting over towards the Koopa, kicking him in the head and sending him flying across the room.

"We need to inform Bowser's Castle!" a Shy Guy panted, rapidly pressing buttons to open up communications. He wasn't able to finish. Luigi grabbed a chair and hurled it at him, knocking him out cold.

Luigi stopped to take a breath. Every Koopa Troop member was lying knocked out. Glass covered the floor. Then he headed towards the door. This wasn't over yet.

Luigi ran down the hallway. A duo of Koopas ran at him, but Luigi spun around, catching their necks with his cape and knocking them against the wall. A Boomerang bro hurled his weapon at him, but Luigi leapt over it and came down hard on the Boomerang bro's head. Below him, he could here the sounds of chaos. Wario and his gang had entered the building.

Luigi bolted down a flight of stairs, punching a red-shelled Koopa out of his path along the way. A Sledge Bro ran at him, but Luigi sprang forward, letting the cape take him through the air, zipping down the stairs like a bullet. It struck the Sledge Bro, sending him flying ten feet away. He swung open the door, catching a Goomba with it, before heading down another bare hallway. A Shy Guy screamed loudly, running past him. The elevator door opened, and a squad of tattooed Koopas and Toads wearing leather jackets poured out.

"Hey, green." the lead Toad said in a drawling voice. "You taken care of the guys up top?"

"Y...yeah!" Luigi nodded. "It's-a good!"

"That's golden." the Toad nodded. "The boss is blastin' through floors like a maniac. We'll be in control of the tower in..."

An adjacent elevator door was suddenly punched away as Wario swaggered out of it.

"Now."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Luigi sat on the steps outside of the skyscraper. This was impossible to believe. Against all odds, they had somehow seized Mushroom City. Maybe the stars really were shining down upon them after all.

Two rough-looking Toads were laughing a few feet away from him, tearing one of the Koopa Empire banners into shreds. Wario's other two divisions had worked just as well as he had hoped. Both the shipyard (including three warships) and the entire city were now under their control. If only Cobal had been there to see it. If...if only Peach, Mario, and Daisy could've.

Wario came down to sit next to him, which instantly caused Luigi to move a few inches away. That smell really was something.

"Glad you signed up with me now, eh Luigi?" Wario laughed, patting him on the back. Luigi winced...that Wario sure had some strength in that arm, that was for sure.

"Thank you, Wario." Luigi said respectfully. "Without you, we never could've done it."

Waluigi walked over, laughing. "Hey, we get something outta it two, greenie!" he cackled. "Now we get to show those Koopas _exactly_ what we think of them!"

"No." Luigi's face was stern. "We aren't tyrants, Waluigi. Most of the Koopas who live in the city are just innocent. Even if they are imperial citizens, that doesn't mean they are evil. If you harm any of them unprovoked...this partnership is over!"

"Fine." Wario growled, shaking his head and standing up.

"You ruin all the fun..." Waluigi complained, walking away. Luigi watched them go. Already he could see Toads gathering at the sidewalks, looking up in astonishment at the banners the criminals were shredding. Maybe he ought to go spread the good news himself.

"Luigi." came a stern voice to his right.

"Huh?" Luigi asked, turning around. Standing in front of him were three unfamiliar figures. Two of them were Toads, wearing dark sunglasses. The third of them was a Koopa Troopa, one with a darker, greyish shade of skin and a blue shell, traits which identified him as a "Shady Koopa" from the north of the Koopa Kingdom. He was also wearing dark glasses. "Uh...who are you?" Luigi asked, feeling a bit concerned. There was something about these people that indicated they meant business.

"We are representatives of Fire Flower." the Koopa said, his hands clasped behind his back. "Our leader has heard of your revolutionary activities. He invites you to come meet with him in Koopa Central. We are pleased to hear you are alive, Mr. Luigi. The end of the Koopa Empire seems closer today."

"Uh...well...I guess?" Luigi asked, looking into the Koopa's face. He had a feeling that from now on, life was going to become a little more complicated.


	27. To the Chaotic World

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: To the Chaotic World**

 _Thanks to LuigiGI for being my fiftieth follower! The positive reception this story has been getting is so encouraging! I hope you weren't too disappointed at how easy Luigi managed to free Mushroom City; after all, not only was it severely undermanned because of the war, the Koopa Empire did not consider it to be a high-profile base due to Bowser's Castle being the centre of Koopa Troop activity in Sector 8. You can definitely expect some high-intensity fights later on._

A drop of sweat trickled down Cobal's forehead before falling to the brown brick floor. Strike stood in front of him, his eyes hard, the ball of fire glowing at the top of his pointed finger shining with intensity. For once, Cobal was stricken dumb. Honestly, he knew he should've prepared for this. But thinking about it was one thing. Actually acting was something else entirely.

"I was wrong about you, Cobal." Strike said cooly, never breaking his gaze even for an instant. "When I first heard about the conscription I was concerned about traditionally anti-Koopa Troop races joining the army. When I saw you fight I realized my presumption had been incorrect. You could've been a great soldier, Cobal. But no...you're just as much of a liability as I'd thought you'd be."

Cobal thought fast. Strike would expose him to the rest of the Koopa Troop leaders, and then it was all over. He'd be thrown in prison...or worse. He had to take out Strike now. It was his only chance to continue on his mission.

Cobal dove at Strike, ducking as the fireball flew over his head. Undaunted Strike swung his leg around, catching Cobal in the nose and knocking him back. As Cobal struggled to regain his balance, a searing pain shot into his chest as a fireball hit him point-blank, forcing him to the ground.

Groaning, Cobal rose to his feet only for Strike to punch him in the head and grab him by the throat. His head spun as he felt the Fire Bro's fingers tighten.

"You think you're strong." Strike said cooly. "Did you ever stop of realize that the people you fought against were weak, with minimal training and minimal ambition? I am a graduate of the Bowser Koopa Military School. I have been trained by some of the Koopa Troop's best leaders...The Koopa Bros, Tutankoopa, the list goes on. Caught by surprise, you stood no chance."

Cobal shook his head, clearing his vision. The phone room of Lava-Lake Keep was still deserted. He still only had Strike to deal with. That didn't really help much, as it appeared he'd been completely defeated. Strike had been right. After his streak of soaring victories, Cobal had began to think he was invincible. He had destroyed two entire Koopa Battleships through a mixture of quick wit and good skills. It had never occurred to him that while he might be powerful against ordinary troops, there were many, many individuals in the world who were stronger then he was.

Cobal summoned all of his strength and tried to kick Strike in the chest, but Strike quickly shot a fireball at the foot, scorching it and causing Cobal to cry out in pain.

"Well, what do you have to say about yourself, Cobal?" Strike asked in a cold voice. "Are you working for Fire Flower? Who is the person you refer to as "Big L"?

Cobal knew he could never betray Luigi. He had to be brave here; imprisonment, even death were better then that! If the Koopa Troop knew about Luigi, they would send thousands of warships and twice as many troops to his location and overwhelm him with such force, not even both Mario brothers could survive.

"I'm independent." he finally said. "I'm just a kid who you Koopas have forced into doing this. If you hadn't have taken over the Mushroom Kingdom and oppressed us, I'd just be a normal guy. This is your fault, Strike."

"Don't you dare say it is my fault." Strike hissed dangerously. "Oppression is not the way of the Koopa Kingdom. Maybe it is the way of the Emperor and idiots like Flame, but do not associate it with me."

"You are part of it, Strike." Cobal said, with narrowed eyes. He had to beat the Fire Bro at his own game here; it was all he could do. "The war against Roy is great, sure, but what happens when you win? You go back to bullying Toads who can't pay their taxes?"

"I serve the Koopa Kingdom." Strike growled. "You wouldn't understand it. Barely anybody does. I wouldn't if it wasn't for my grandfather; he fought in the Mushroom War against the forces of Antonio. After King Morton died, all of our honour died with him."

"And I guess it died with you to, since you continue to oppress people as part of the Koopa Troop!" Cobal shouted back. Strike's grip on his throat seemed to grow a little lighter. "Yeah, Strike, the Koopa Troop you're serving isn't the one you want to serve. You want honour, fine! That's not going to happen until Emperor Bowser is off the throne, and people like Flame and Roy Koopa are kicked out of power! You should be _thanking_ me!"

Strike let go of Cobal's neck and shoved him roughly to the ground. Cobal tumbled onto the hard brown bricks, feeling a sharp ache in his tail. Strike seemed to tower over him, fixing him with that unflinching steely glare. Cobal knew the Fire Bro could kill him if he wanted to. Could he have a moment to get away? He was going to have to assess the situation very carefully. Strike had caught him off-guard, so he was going to have to turn the tables.

"Do you really think you can do it?" Strike's voice sounded almost mocking as he pointed his finger at Cobal again, igniting a fireball. "Do you honestly believe that you can overcome an empire that rules the whole world?"

"Of course." Cobal replied. "It isn't just me, you know. There are millions, probably billions of people in the world that hate the empire. They're all going to get together and kick you guys out of power. Just you wait. It's going to happen."

"Nobody could unify the people of the Mushroom World to fight such a hopeless fight." Strike laughed. "Why, only Princess Peach, or perhaps one of the Mario brothers..."

"Then looks like you guys are out of luck." Cobal smirked.

There was silence for the two of them for about a minute. Cobal could here the sounds of lava bubbling from lakes and channels that ran throughout the castle. What...what had he done? He'd just revealed that one of the Mario Bros was alive! A cold feeling seeped through his body. No...no!

"If the Princess is back then we are finished." Strike said darkly. "Emperor Bowser will pour all of our resources into kidnapping her and that will allow Prince Roy's rebels to take the empire for themselves. But if the Mario brothers are back...well, let's just say that will be the start of a new beginning."

"What?" Cobal asked in confusion. A new beginning for the Mushroom Kingdom, yeah, but only doom for the Koopa Troop.

"If one, or both of the brothers return they will set about making things right." Strike continued matter-of-factly. "They will take out the rebel faction and the empire. The Koopa Empire is too large and it's leadership is too corrupt. We need to return to our homeland. No more of these conquests and kidnappings which only serve to stroke Emperor Bowser's ego and entertain his delusions."

To hear such a bold statement from a Koopa Troop officer completely stunned Cobal. Could it be that there really were loyal Koopa Troop members who were sympathetic with his cause? Strike's idea of the Koopa Troop was completely at odds with the Koopa Troop represented by people like Governor Flame and Prince Roy. A glimmer of hope suddenly ran through Cobal. It was a massive risk, but one that he'd have to take.

"Luigi is alive." Cobal said bluntly. "He's building a resistance. Let me go. If you don't tell your superiors about this, then he's got a chance to bring back the Koopa Troop you want."

"Get up." Strike barked gruffly. Hesitantly, Cobal rose. Every inch of his body felt tensed. Any second now he might be forced to either fight or escape. "I will let you go..." Strike continued, "On one condition. I do not know you well, Cobal. I don't know if you really believe that your group will help create a better Koopa Kingdom, or if you are simply lying and you would like to subjugate my species in revenge. You will do everything I say. You are to follow me, Cobal, to the shipyard. I will then take a flight to Isle Delphino, Sector Three. It is neutral in the civil war and it can provide us passage to the enemy territories. I want to see how dedicated you are, Cobal. Then maybe I'll decide if you're worth anything."

Slowly, Cobal got up. He felt completely overwhelmed. Nevertheless, he knew the only thing he could do was follow Strike's directions. He'd messed-up big time. He'd gotten lucky, yes...but one wrong move and both his and Luigi's plans were over for good.

* * *

Waves crashed against the beach in a distant island on the Northern Kremisphere. An army of Koopas stood together tightly, the guns on their tanks pointed to the horizen. Huge battleships hovered in the air, bearing the figurehead and insignia of a Koopa with sticking-up green hair.

The Koopas were looking at a huge fleet approaching them from over the ocean, countless battleships with Bill Blasters glinting in the sun. Most of the ships had the design of ships belonging to Prince Roy...but the three ships leading the fleet bore the figurehead and colours of Ludwig. Tension crackled in the air as the Koopas waited for the order to fire.

Ludwig gazed at the waiting army from the bridge of his flagship. He got up from his huge command seat and strode to the centre of the room. "Captain." he said calmly. "How long do you think it will take us to overcome this army?"

"A day if we're lucky, your highness." the captain, a middle-aged green-shelled Koopa with a military cap replied. "If they're good, it could take weeks."

"Let's make a bet on that, shall we?" Ludwig smiled, willing his special array of screens to appear. Glowing blue holographic screens surrounded him, displaying various information about the area, his fleet...and the two new weapons he was just aching to test out.

Ludwig's battleship's customization ran a bit deeper than it's paint job. It had been embedded with a peculiar device of his own invention that could be controlled with his own thoughts. That was how he had been able to summon the screens; it was quite convenient as it meant he could access the ship's vital systems from anywhere onboard. Ludwig's army had been the most advanced for years. Recently, however, it had taken even greater leaps towards it's superiority. His underhanded dealings with Seven Stars had been the key to success. Now, he could obtain rare and critical components without Koopa High Command noticing. With this freedom, his creativity was now allowed to run wild, creating weapons of mass destruction he had no desire to share with the rest of the empire. He'd put off making them simply because he couldn't stand the thought of his father or Junior getting their hands on them. He couldn't wait to see the look on their faces.

"Twenty meters until we are in range of their guns, your highness." one of the officers reported, turning around on his chair to face Ludwig.

"Do not move any more until I say so." Ludwig ordered. He then pressed one of the screens with his claw. It flashed blue for a moment. Then Ludwig waited.

Two large objects streaked through the sky, crashing into the water and sending a huge wave up to the beach. Ludwig watched with anticipation as the water streaked down the fallen objects, revealing them to the eyes of the bridge crew. There was nothing special about them...just two large metal boxes made of dark steel. But, right before Ludwig's eyes, the boxes began to unfold, seamless sections of walls unhinging and falling into the sea as two large, humanoid machines rose from their cases.

The robots stood a head taller then Peach's Castle. They were nothing like that awful Mecha-Bowser (one of Ludwig's biggest embarrassments), everything about them was sleek and futuristic. Each bore a passing resemblance to a futuristic samurai, built of sleek and shiny metal. Standing in the water in the light of the setting sun, Ludwig had never seen his creations look more beautiful. This was the perfect day for the debut of the Neo Koopa War Armour.

Immediately, the opposing army, which Ludwig knew answered to his younger brother Iggy, opened fire. Countless bullet bills flew through the air, striking and detonating against the War Armour and sending up huge clouds of smoke. Several members of the bridge crew shot each other nervous looks. The two towering mechs appeared to be taking a lot of damage.

"Oh, don't start despairing just yet." Ludwig scoffed. "You see..." he said smugly, gazing around to each member of his crew, "Not only are these mechs armoured with titanium, they also possess magical reactors." he chuckled to himself as he reminisced coming up with the design. "Yes, you're allowed to clap, gentlemen. Who says magic and technology have to be at odds? I'm a master of both, so it's only logical my new war machines should embody the strengths of each, correct? Gaze out of the window, now."

The crew obediently did as Ludwig asked, watching as the smoke began to clear away as Iggy's army halted it's fire. Both mechs were shining as bright and spotless as they had before. "Thanks to the seamless integration of magic and technology, the Neo Koopa War Armours are nearly invulnerable." Ludwig explained proudly. "They could shrug off hundreds of Banzai Bill blasts before falling. Imagine an entire army of these marching on Koopa Central! This is the future, my humble subordinates."

Ludwig tapped on another holographic screen floating around him, opening communications with the mech pilots, both Dry Bones. "Fire the Blade Lasers." he ordered.

Almost immediately, the mechs pointed their arms forward. Immediately the battleships and tanks of the opposing army began to fire again, but it was useless. Suddenly a long orange laser beam fired from the fists of both mechs. Aburplty they slashed their arms to the left, dragging the laser through the air. It cleaved through the battleships in it's path, slicing them in two and leaving the other halves to fall downwards, crashing onto the army and exploding. Ten battleships had been destroyed. Even from this far away, Ludwig could tell that Iggy's army had devolved into chaos.

" _Now_ you have my permission to engage." Ludwig replied cooly, turning around with a swish of his cape. The two mechs slowly began to advance towards the beach as the battleships' engines rumbled, carrying them closer to the battle. "Captain, I will take my leave now." he announced as he headed to the door. "Do tell me the results of the battle. I would like to bet on it. We will have opened the gate to Sector Five in no more than half an hour. Any longer then that, captain, and I am more then willing to pay up."


	28. Fire Flower

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Fire Flower**

 _Thank you to everyone for helping me get over 10,000 views! I'm so happy about all the attention this story's gotten, and I hope all of you enjoy what's about to come! I'd also like to answer Mel22's question about Strike's ideal Koopa Troop. Strike sees the Koopa Troop as an organization founded on honour, one with a leader that respects the troops and troops that respects the leader. He is opposed to the Koopa Troop under Bowser because Bowser uses his minions as pawns to achieve his selfish goals, as opposed to acting for the greater good of the Koopa people. His loyalty is more to this idea then to any of his superiors, and he is willing to go against Bowser's regime if it means a chance to the Koopa Troop returning to the way it way under King Morton._

Luigi stood on the deck of the airship, the wind blowing around him and the sound of the propellers in the air. Around him, the members of Fire Flower strolled around the deck, preforming routine check-ups. This was the first time Luigi had seen one of these first-generation airships since the attack on Toad Town. It was just the same as the flying ships he'd remembered, the ones that had abducted Princess Peach nearly every week, right down to the Bowser emblems. This old ship, and many others just like it, were used by Fire Flower to get in and out of Koopa Central without being noticed by the gaurds. Several of them, despite being mainly replaced by the larger and more powerful battleships, were still in military service so the guards thought nothing of it.

This was the first time Luigi had left the Mushroom Kingdom in ages. They had soared over the pink lava lakes of the Luncheon Kingdom and the frigid wintery mountains of the Snow Kingdom until at long last they came to the Metro Kingdom. It was a desolate place, Luigi thought as he stared down at the ground beneath them. They had passed several cities now on there way to Koopa Central, and each of them had been a blasted shell. The sections of the plains and forest that separated the kingdom's countless cities hadn't fared much better. The pains were dotted with craters, and several of the forests Luigi saw had huge sections of them burned away. It seemed the trees were only just starting to come back.

"Enjoying the view?" came a voice from behind him. Luigi turned around to see Koopaner strolling down the staircase that led up to the helm. The blue-shelled Shady Koopa had been rather distant since he had offered to take Luigi to the Fire Flower headquarters in Koopa Central. Luigi wondered what his deal was.

"W...what happened here?" Luigi asked as he glanced down at yet another ruined city, several of it's skyscrapers toppled like building blocks. He shuddered, both from the cold air and from the thought.

Koopaner gave a dry chuckle. "Tell you what, Luigi, the war with the Metro Kingdom was real crazy." he said, joining him in gazing down at the destruction. "In case you didn't know, it was the only nation in the world that could match the Koopa Kingdom in it's military. Held out for years. A lot of the Koopa Troop's new weapons, like the Airship Mk. 2 that's replaced this old ship in the line of duty, were invented to fight against Metro. Doomsday weapons and forbidden spells were being used nearly every day. Finally, Koopas won. They built their new capital in the ruins of New Donk City, and King Bowser finally got what he always wanted...dominion over the entire world."

The Koopa shook his head, scoffing. Luigi could tell he was angry, and there was a fierceness with the way Koopaner spoke that made him a bit uneasy. There was genuine hate in that voice. "That's what he'd like to think. But, nah, Fire Flower's here. We're the ones making sure the Koopas haven't got the whole world in their iron grip."

Luigi nodded. He stepped away from the guardrail and walked to the front of the ship, looking out onto the horizon. There was a dark cloud they were approaching as they continued to fly over the blasted landscape. As Luigi thought of all the terrible things that had happened in the Metro Kingdom, he strengthened his resolve. The Toad Brigade, Cobal, and everyone in Toad Town were counting on him to free the world from Bowser's tyranny. It was up to him to make sure nothing like this every happened again.

The sky was growing steadily darker as they approached New Donk City, and Luigi noticed a pungent smell in the air. He rubbed his nose in disgust.

"That would have to be the factories." Koopaner spoke up, joining Luigi at the front of the ship. "Most of the empire's ships and weapons are built at Koopa Central. The fumes keep the city in perpetual darkness. Bet it makes old Bowser feel right at home."

Luigi nodded as the airship continued to fly into the city. As he stared down at the broken-down, abandoned skyscrapers shrouded beneath the angry red polluted sky, Luigi felt a twinge of sadness that only intensify the further they went into the city. New Donk had been were he'd lived for most of his childhood. He and Mario had moved there right after the Kamek kidnapping incident, when it became clear Yoshi's Island wasn't exactly the best place to raise children. Their grandparents had brought them up, since both their mother and their father had died in the Koopa War against King Morton. That had happened roughly five years before the Shroob Invasion. On these streets, now blackened with soot and strewn with rubble, Luigi had ran and played with his brother, attended school, got his first job, and worked countless plumbing assignments with Mario once they had got Mario Brothers Plumbing all set up. Now those streets and buildings were empty.

Luigi stared for a long time at the streets as the airship continued it's path over the war-torn skyscrapers. He felt a tear wash down his cheek. That building they were flying over...it was the Gold Flower Bank, which meant that Stefano's Pasta Parlour was just around the corner...he briefly saw it before the airship passed by a tall building that blocked it from view. The pasta restaurant, one of his favourite places to eat, had been barely recognizable. It's windows had been smashed and it looked as if a bullet bill had smashed most of the sidewalk in front of it. All in all it looked like nobody had set foot in the once-thriving store for ages. He put it out of his mind. He...he had to remember what was important.

Then Luigi saw it. Across the river and north of the Great Ape Bridge, the city suddenly lit up in a blaze of lights. It was as if a section of the city hadn't died and was still thriving. The lights were even brighter then they had been in New Donk's prime, it seemed. Countless Koopa battleships circled the city, hovering through the air like sentries. There were dozens of them, each as large as the one in Mushroom City, and Luigi couldn't help but to stare.

Towering above even the tallest skyscraper was a colossal fortress, a citadel of spikes and towers. The massive central keep was topped with a huge green dome covered in shining silver spikes, as were the towers that surrounded it. Black and red banners depicting Bowser's face flew from the countless smaller turrets that rose up around the domes like blades of grass. There were more battleships circling the fortress, which looked to Luigi like it was the size of an entire city block. To his eyes it looked impossible to breach, it's towering walls impossible to scale even with the tallest jump.

"Ah, it seems we are now in view of Koopa Central." Koopaner spoke, staring out over the water at the brightly-lit city and the gigantic fortress. "It only takes up about a sixth of New Donk, honestly. The fact is there just isn't enough proper Koopa citizens when you spread them all out in the world to fill New Donk up. The big castle you're seeing is ground zero for the empire. It's the Imperial Citadel, Emperor Bowser's personal fortress and the central of imperial government and military affairs. They control everything down there. Unfortunately, it's as impenetrable as it looks so Fire Flower hasn't even come close to breaching it."

"I see." Luigi nodded, his eyes fixed on the Imperial Citadel. Huge spotlights were shining from behind the castle walls, lighting up the dark sky so that anyone in the city could see the fortress, no matter where they were. Somewhere deep within that stronghold, Bowser was waiting. He had a lot coming for him, that Koopa. Luigi was not vengeful by nature, but he was looking forward to finally beating Bowser for everything he had done to his brother and the world. He tightened his fist. Victory was getting more and more in his sights.

The airship did not go towards Koopa Central. Rather, the helmsman brought it down lower to the ground, so that the helm nearly scraped the roof of a tall, abandoned skyscraper, and began to descend towards what appeared to be some back lot completely fenced in by buildings. It was completely empty of everything, even debris. While Luigi was sure that Koopa forces patrolled the abandoned parts of New Donk regularly, he doubted any of them would ever think to check on this place. Koopa Central was a bright light on the horizon, miles away. Without inside information, the Koopas would never find this spot.

There was a low groaning sound from beneath Luigi, and he looked down to see the empty lot spliting into two and sliding open. The airship continued it's slow descent.

"A secret docking bay!" Luigi marvelled. "These guys are serious!"

As the airship entered the dimly-lit docking by, it was instantly surrounded by people of all species, crowding around to take a look at him. Shyly, Luigi waved. "Get used to the good publicity." Koopaner commented. "The boss has been wishing one of the bros was still alive for ages."

Luigi leapt down towards the airship and into the midst of the Fire Flower members. "Is it really you, Luigi?" one Toad shouted.

"Did you actually free Toad Town?" A non-empire aligned Koopa exclaimed. "And Mushroom City, too?"

"Y...yeah, I'm Luigi, and I've saved some places." he said humbly, trying to make his way through the crowd that pressed around him. The hanger bay was quite small, only large enough to fit one airship. The floor was made of metal grating and he could see through it into some repair pit of sorts. The airship was docking in an open spot in the centre of the room, likely designed so repairs could be made to the hull if neccesary.

"Hey." came a stern voice as Koopaner leapt off the ship. Luigi glanced around. The crowd instantly parted, allowing Koopaner to walk through unobstructed. "He's not here for you to fanboy over. He's got business with the boss."

Koopaner led Luigi through a doorway and into a dimly-lit passage. There was little to say about the Fire Flower base, it seemed. The walls, floors, and ceiling were all made of dark industrial metal, and lit by dim green lights. It had the look of a bunker to it, the kind of place that could withstand a week-long bombardment by King Bills. Luigi passed several identical metal doors, but Koopaner did not go into any of them. He finally stopped at a door at the end of the hall, which automatically swung open.

The room he stepped into had to be the Fire Flower command centre. There were several desks in the room, each with someone on it preforming various operations on computers. From a single glance Luigi took at the nearest screen, they seemed to be Koopa Empire-related statistics; locations of bases, sizes of garrisons, the amount of Bob-ombs manufactured last week. At the end of the room was a huge screen which depicted a Fire Flower symbol on an orange background. It cast it's light over the whole room, bathing Luigi and the Fire Flower members at the desks in amber light. There was a figure standing in front of the screen, looking at it. "Luigi." he spoke in a familiar voice full of emotion. "It's been too long."

The figure turned and began to walk down the pathway between the desks towards Luigi. As he came out of the shadows, Luigi saw that he was a Yoshi...a green Yoshi. Luigi's heart began to beat faster. Could it be-

"Yup, I'm the real deal." Yoshi said, coming over to Luigi and embracing him. "I'm the Yoshi you remember...your pal, you know?"

"Y...Yoshi, you're alive!" Luigi exclaimed, hugging Yoshi tightly. This revelation brought him hope, like rays of light shining into a black cave. There was one of the heroes of the Mushroom World who had escaped Bowser's wrath, and here he was, leading a resistance against his rule!

"Yeah, I'm alive, Luigi." Yoshi smiled, stepping away from Luigi. Luigi saw that he had a long red scar across his right eye. "Koopas tried their best to change that, but I've survived more then enough falls thanks to your brother's...interesting relationship with me to go down easy."

"This...this is great!" Luigi exclaimed, taking a few steps forward and sweeping his gaze over the command centre. "You're all set up to take care of Bowser!"

Yoshi laughed grimly and shook his head. "If only it was that easy, Luigi." Yoshi replied. "Bowser's nothing like how he was in the past. The Koopa Troop's way larger and stronger now. We've taken out a few castles, a couple generals, but as of yet we haven't made much headway in taking back our world."

"I'll help where I can." Luigi replied, walking back to Yoshi and grabbing his hand. "Yoshi, I'm done being a coward. Since Mario isn't around anymore, I need to step up and be the hero!"

"I was hoping you'd say that." Yoshi smiled warmly. "There's this operation I've been putting together, but I haven't dared to do it since it's too risky. But, I mean, you're one of the Mario brothers!"

Luigi shuddered. Risky wasn't his kind of thing, but as if he was going to back down now. "Tell me what it is." Luigi said, facing Yoshi in the centre of the room, the clicks and beeps of the computers around him."

"It's called Operation Broken Sunglasses." Yoshi replied. "Fire Flower's biggest move yet. You've heard about the civil war, right?"

"Y...yeah." Luigi nodded. "A friend of mine named Cobal told me all about it. Some of the Koopalings are trying to take the throne from Bowser!"

"You got that right." Yoshi nodded. "Roy Koopa's entire army has been spread throughout the world. Neon City is the most undefended it's ever been. While they're distracted fighting each other, this could be our chance to take out one of the cruelest rulers in the empire."

"Me, fight Roy?" Luigi asked, feeling a bit nervous at the thought. Sure, he'd beat the burly Koopa many times before, but he was out of practice. Beating Boom Boom had been one thing, but the Koopalings had always been tougher, and Roy was bound to have gotten even stronger with age.

"I know, it's a tough request." Yoshi nodded. "That's why we haven't moved forward with the mission yet. Roy's gotten pretty powerful, Luigi. He's at least as strong as Bowser now, if not even stronger. Do you think-"

"Of course!" Luigi shouted, raising his voice. "Mario wouldn't have backed away from that kind of fight, right! I'm-a going to fight Roy, as long as it helps free his people!"

"That's the answer I wanted to here." Yoshi smiled warmly. "I'll tell the other Fire Flower leaders. This is going to be a huge step towards defeating the empire."

"Yeah..." Luigi nodded, before looking up at Yoshi again. The green dinosaur had been one of his very best friends who he hadn't seen for ages, and all they'd done is talk business. That didn't seem right! "Yoshi...want to go out and grab a drink or something?" Luigi asked, looking Yoshi in the eye. "I was kind of in a bad place until recently...I bet there's loads of info you could fill me in on. Besides, I kind of want to reminisce about old times...you know, before Bowser."

Yoshi shook his head, his face full of regret. "I'm sorry, Luigi." he sighed. "Right now, I'm super busy. Running Fire Flower has ate up all of my time. There's a great place just a block away from here. One of the only businesses outside of Koopa Central still running here in New Donk. The Chuckola Cola they serve tastes like it's fresh from the Beanbean Kingdom."

"I'll have to check that place out." Luigi nodded. "Think we can hang out together after this whole Roy buisness is finished, though?"

"Maybe." Yoshi replied, clapping Luigi on the back. "This will be a blow the empire won't be able to get back from."

* * *

Luigi left the Fire Flower base through a hidden door one of the members showed him and stepped onto the streets. New Donk was deathly quiet, seeming almost eerie to Luigi. The yellow on the decorative item blocks by the streets signs was faded, and most of the windows in the towering skyscrapers were gone. Luigi stepped over countless bits of rubble as he walked past the abandoned buildings and offices, and he heard the scurrying of small animals around him. The dark red clouds continued to churn above him, and there was that unpleasant acidic scent to the air, likely from the factories. He wondered if things looked this bad in Koopa Central. Likely they had Magikoopas on duty creating protective barriers so that the Koopa Empire's elite could breath clean air.

Luigi found the bar almost instantly. It was sandwiched between two businesses so broken down they were scarcely recognizable, the only clean establishment in the entire street. There was a dim light coming from the door and the windows as Luigi approached.

The inside of the bar was dim, but cozy looking. There was a slow, sad-sounding saxaphone playing in the corner and a few people, mostly humans, seated on leather seats eating or drinking. Luigi stepped over the red carpet and sat down at the bar. The eyes of the bartender, a bald human man with a small moustache, widened. "One Chuckola Cola." Luigi ordered.

"Yes, Mr. Luigi, sir!" the bartender replied in a voice of awe. He deposited the bubbling red soda in a cup before him. Luigi took a sip, savouring the sweet, cold taste. Yup...this was what Chuckola Cola was supposed to taste like, not the lame knockoff stuff he'd bought in Toad Town. The flavour brought back memories of a time gone by, of the time when him and Yoshi had fought the Koopas together. Now they were going to be fighting side-by-side once again. He smiled as he placed the glass down. Things were finally looking up.

"You have the look of a man who's just discovered hope." came a voice to Luigi's right. He turned to see a Koopa sitting at the bar next to him, holding a glass of Chuckola Cola in his hand. The Koopa was wearing a spotless and very expensive-looking white suit and a white fedora with a purple band. He gave a friendly smile as Luigi glanced at him.

"Yeah...I guess you could say that." he admitted.

The Koopa held out his hand and Luigi shook it. "The name's Skallz." the Koopa said. "Skallz Fortiscule. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Nice to meet you." Luigi nodded politely. "You...you do know who I am already, right?" he pointed to the "L" on his green cap.

"Oh, of course, Mr. Luigi." said Skallz, taking a sip of his Chuckola Cola. "You've already brightened life for so many of us anti-Bowser folks, absolutely. Why, I must say when I learned you were alive I was positively giddy."

Luigi smiled. "It's great to here I'm making people's lives a little better." he replied. "Bowser...he's taken so much from all of us."

"Indeed." Skallz nodded, rising to his feet and looking Luigi in the eye. "You've done a great job, Luigi. Keep on crushing those Koopas. And...keep on hoping on it, right? You know what I'm talking about."

"Uh...I don't think I do." Luigi replied, scratching his head in confusion. Who was this Koopa anyway? He was too well-dressed to be somebody trying to scratch out a life in the ruins of New Donk, but he didn't seem to be a member of Fire Flower either.

"Mario, of course." Skallz replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He winked at Luigi. "Nobody ever found a body. Who knows? Maybe one day you'll be reunited. Anything can happen in the Mushroom World, right?"

"Mario's dead." Luigi sighed, taking a sip of his Chuckola Cola. "The best we can do..." it was hard for him to say this. As much as he wanted to believe the words of the strange Koopa, he knew they would do more harm the good. "Is to carry on his legacy."

"Oh, of course." Skallz nodded. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Luigi. Have fun fighting Bowser." he flashed a grin before tipping his fedora and walking out the door. Luigi was left alone to finish his Chuckola Cola and muse about the future.


	29. Welcome to Isle Delphino

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Welcome to Isle Delphino**

 _Sorry for the late chapter; I was on vacation. I'll try my best to update the next chapter at a quicker pace!_

It was a dark night over the Blooper Ocean. The clouds were dark and angry, and wind ripped through the air, churning up the seas like a blender.

The Koopa Battleship _Terrapin_ moved through the sky, the wind blowing at it's banners and threatening to rip them apart. _Terrapin_ was a ship in the navy of Princess Wendy, displaying the colours of Bowser's only female child, which were drenched in the rain.

Captain Kupert slouched on his command chair on the _Terrapin's_ bridge, his eyes closed. Around him the storm rumbled. The repetitive beeping of the various control consoles on the bridge was lulling him to sleep. Kupert did not like to work late-night patrols, especially not on nights like this. He far preferred to spend these hours at the Delphino Plaza bars, picking up beautiful ladies who were charmed by the mere fact of having an officer flirt with them. He did not like these routine patrols of the seas of Sector Three, in which nothing ever happened. Both the Kongs and the Kremlings had been put down in the first years of the emperor's conquest. The Snowmads had been completely wiped out when they had attempted to raid Neo Bowser City back in the homeland...an action that had earned one Koopa by the name of "Fortugas Flame" a spot on Koopa High Command. Because of that, Sector Three was almost completely safe. Koopa outposts were occasionally raided by the ghostly captain Cortez, one of the few allies of Mario still active, but the military had long learnt that the Black Skull was untraceable by technology. Even if he was right below the _Terrapin_ right now, it wouldn't do any good; besides, it wasn't like the pirate posed a major threat to imperial stability anyway.

Kupert yawned, thinking about his warm bed back in the officers' quarters in Wendy's palace. Outside, the rain pattered relentlessly on the bridge's roof. Sometimes, being a member of the invincible Koopa Troop could be so...dull.

"Captain Kupert, sir." came a voice from the bridge. "We've picked up something on our radar."

Kupert opened his eyes, blinking them a few times to clear his vision. The speaker, a green-shelled Koopa sitting at one of the radar stations, looked concerned. "What's all the fuss about?" Kupert sighed, straightening his military coat and walking across the wooden planks to the Koopa.

"It's a ship, sir." the Koopa said, pointing to the screen before him. "It's certainly not one of ours."

"Could be a plane." Kupert shrugged. "That's nothing too unusual."

"It's...it's much bigger then a plane, sir." the Koopa replied, his eyes nervously darting back to the screen. "According to our radar it's larger then the _Terrapin."_

Kupert bit his lip nervously. There weren't a lot of aircraft larger then a Koopa Troop warship, and any that existed certainly had no business around Sector Three. Great. Looks like he was going to have to do some work, after all.

"Send a communication request." Kupert ordered one of the crew members. The Shy Guy hurriedly pressed a few buttons at his panel.

"Can't get through to them, Captain! They've denied all communication request!"

"It's coming closer!" another Koopa from across the bridge shouted, pressing a button on her control console. "Captain, I have a visual!"

Kupert strode to the centre of the room and looked at the holographic screen that had popped up before him, displaying footage from the ship's cameras. It was a huge, sleek and silver ship, with two massive spurs sticking out of the front. It almost reminded Kupert of an outlet plug in shape, only instead of being square and boxy, everything was smooth, rounded, and futuristic-looking. White lights shone from the ship, lighting up the dark night around them. It was getting closer.

Kupert crossed his arms. What to do, what to do? There was no Koopa Troop logo on it anywhere, not from any of the Sectors. That just about ruled out it being a secret project; subtlety and the Koopa Troop had never gone hand-in-hand. Was it an enemy ship? Impossible! Fire Flower didn't have these kind of resources! He would've been informed if they had!

The ship continued to come forward, coming up right behind the _Terrapin_ so that it was right between it's spurs, almost as if it was caught in a claw. They were so close Kupert could see the shining silver spurs, with their blinking white lights, through the main window. The rest of the bridge crew looked around nervously.

"T...try hailing again." Kupert ordered. He wasn't quite sure what else to do.

"Captain!" came the voice of a Goomba, shrill with fear. "They...they're charging up their weapons! It's a massive gun...much bigger then anything we have!"

"What!?" Kupert exclaimed, as the bridge was flooded with blue light.

A blinding flash lit up the skies above Blooper Ocean. When it faded away the silver-coloured ship slipped away into the shadows of the clouds. The few timbers of the _Terrapin_ that remained splashed into the water, swallowed up in an instant by the waves.

* * *

The members of Koopa High Command sat around the council table, their faces sullen. Several of the seats were empty; not just because of the defectors, but because many of them were fighting on the front lines. Most of the Koopa Empire's top generals had not seen a fight since the Metro Kingdom had been subjugated. Guerrilla tactics by Fire Flower were nothing like this.

Grand General Shelldon tapped his fingers nervously on the table's shiny black surface as he stared at the faces of his associates. He had bad news to bring. Dark days were certainly approaching for the empire, and with Emperor Bowser in his current state of mind they couldn't have come at a worse date.

"I'd like to begin this meeting by giving you all an update on the war." Shelldon said seriously, bringing up a holographic world map. "The enemy's superior military is proving difficult to handle. Without the emperor's permission, the Koopa Central forces can not participate in the war, which leaves the armies of Bowser Jr, Morton, Iggy, and Lemmy on our side. Princess Wendy is expected to side with whichever side seems most profitable...she's currently neutral."

The other generals nodded. "That leaves four of our armies up against three of theirs." a red-shelled Koopa with a military hat commented. "We have the outnumbered."

"No, General Sparkshell." Shelldon replied. "The fact is, out of all of our armies, only Prince Bowser Jr's is able to match any of the rebels...this "Neo Empire", as they are calling themselves. Princes Morton, Iggy, and Lemmy never put much thought into our armies. Most of Prince Bowser Jr's forces are concentrated in Sector Two; as such, we are putting up a good defence there and they have made little headway. In Sector Five, however, things look grim."

The Mushroom World map lit up, showing which areas were controlled by which side.

"By my moustache!" King Bob-omb exclaimed. "That's nearly a fifth of Prince Iggy's land! Impossible!"

"Unfortunately, it is very possible." Shelldon replied darkly. "Prince Ludwig has developed new war machines that are cutting through our army. Unless we receive permission from the emperor to send in the Koopa Central fleet, it's likely it will be lost."

There was a grim silence around the table. Nobody wanted to think about what would happen if the Koopa Empire lost an entire sector. They all knew the three princes who led the Neo Empire...they were brutal and tenacious, unlikely to give up their territory even if they lost the war. Even if the Koopa Empire managed to keep Bowser and his chosen heir on the throne, all territory they lost while doing so would remain an enemy, a rival nation that would be sure to trouble them years to come.

"Additionally, the enemy is pushing back Prince Lemmy's army in Sector Six." Shelldon continued. "Progress is slower as they do not have Ludwig's new weapons, but the relative weakness of Lemmy's army makes fighting back a challenge."

"You know, I was hoping we'd get a break from being taken over!" General Goomp complained, leaping up and down on his chair in frustration. "First that Count Bleck loser, then that Fawful maniac, and now even the princes are trying kick Emperor Bowser out? Isn't this getting old!?"

Shelldon closed his eyes. He hadn't told his companions the worst of the news yet. It was news that had shaken him, made him even more nervous then Ludwig's new weapons that cut through his ships like butter. "I'm afraid there is one more thing you all must know." he said, his eyes still closed. "I recently received a direct communication from Prince Bowser Jr, relaying an urgent message from a member of the Mushroom City garrison. Mushroom City has fallen."

"Impossible!" came the loud voice of General Flame, on Shelldon's far left. The Fire Bro had stood up, his blue eyes wild. "I am in total control of the Mushroom Kingdom! Just because I left Mushroom City for a few days to go to these stupid meetings doesn't mean that the city can fall!"

"Oh, it can, General Flame." Shelldon sighed, before opening his eyes. "Gentlemen...Luigi has returned."

Once again, the council table was plunged into silence, until it was finally broken by a green-shelled Koopa. "Wait...who?"

"G...green stache?" Paraplonk exclaimed, paling a bit.

"Yes, Luigi, the Mario brother!" Shelldon shouted, banging his fist down on the table. He was sweating now. "Some of you might underestimate him, some of you might not even remember him, but you all forget that he was nearly his brother's equal! If even one of the Mario brothers is alive, it puts the whole empire at risk. Forget Prince Ludwig...Luigi is just as dangerous! What say you about this, General Flame?"

The Fire Bro, quite frankly, looked as if he was about to be sick. "I am...err...ashamed this happened without me noticing." he said, sitting down very awkwardly. "With your permission, Grand General, I will take a fleet of ships and launch a full strike on Luigi. We will kill him for real this time, I promise."

"Even the war effort can spare some troops if a Mario brother is involved." Shelldon nodded. "I am disappointed, Flame. The Koopa Empire needs to be at it's strongest right now. Snuff out Luigi and his allies. We can not afford a second enemy with the civil war at it's height."

* * *

The Koopa Cruiser moved through the stormy night. Lightning flashed, reflecting off it's wet blue hull. Cobal sat on his seat, staring out of the circular window. The Koopa Cruisers, as carriers and transport crafts, had several of these seats placed throughout them which were not present when the ships had been designed as King Bowser's private craft. Cobal watched the rain drip down the glass window, lost in thought. Strike sat next to him, as still as a statue. If he made one wrong move, the corporal would be on him in an instant.

What a strange situation he was in, Cobal reflected as he stared out at the black clouds. In a way, he was free of the Koopa Troop for the first time since he'd been captured in Mushroom City, but on the other hand he was even more of a prisoner now. His plans...maybe even his life all depended on Strike, and the Fire Bro seemed both dangerous and unpredictable. What would Strike let him get away with? Would he sell him out if he tried to take down a Koopa Troop base? Or was the cold Koopa really serious about wanting the empire to fall? He shook his head as lightning flashed through the air. What would Luigi do in this situation.

The Koopa Cruiser deployed it's landing gear, skidding against the Isle Delphino runway with a huge splash of water. They had arrived at Isle Delphino with little to no difficulty. Now, supposedly, Cobal was free to carry out his goals against a division of the Koopa Troop that Strike disliked...at least, if what the scarred Fire Bro had said was to be believed. "Time to go." Strike said gruffly.

* * *

Cobal walked down the stairs leading down from the Koopa Cruiser and began to make his way down the Delphino Airstrip, Strike right behind him. The sounds of the ocean waves were all around him, and the rain hit hard upon Cobal's head. He shuddered from the cold; the Mushroom Kingdom didn't get storms as bad as this often. Cobal glanced over the ocean; in the sky he could faintly see the lights of the battleships that surrounded Isle Delphino. As the hub of Sector Three authority, Isle Delphino was nearly impenetrable, impossible to gain access to forcefully without a long siege. The blockade had allowed the Koopa Cruiser to pass by without much trouble though, owing to the fact that Strike was a registered Corporal. Perhaps he ought to be thankful, Cobal thought. It would've been extremely hard for anyone to get to the island without this series of events. Best make do with what life had given him.

The Koopas had built a bridge from the airstrip leading towards Delphino Plaza. Cobal walked down the road towards the city, which was shining bright in the dark storm. Their walk was silent except for the constant crashing of the waves and pattering of the rain. Cobal was constantly aware of Strike's eyes on his back, and felt himself shudder.

For a former resort town and current capital of Sector Three, Isle Delphino seemed strangely deserted. As Cobal walked down the streets towards the town square, he saw only a few people, who all appeared to be Koopa Troop members. It seemed most of the people were waiting the storm out in their houses; something which Cobal sorely wished he could be doing right now. But comfort could come later. It was time to deal with this issue.

Cobal finally stopped. The Shine Gate loomed over them, draped in the flags of the Koopa Empire. The flags were pink in colour and the Koopa they depicted had a more rounded, feminine face and a large bow on her head. High up above the town, Cobal could see Corona Mountain, with a large palace with many towers silhouetted against the night. That had to be Princess Wendy's palace, he realized. It was odd that he was so close to one of the emperor's children. If he could take her out, he'd take a massive step to freeing the people of Isle Delphino and the surrounding islands. But that would be impossible with just him, right?

Cobal turned to Strike. "What's the plan?" he asked. The street was currently empty, and they were bathed in the golden glow of the streetlamps. "We're in the capital of Sector Three with no place to stay and no clear goal."

Strike shrugged. "Surprise me." he said. "I brought you here to see your conviction. Prove to me you have what it takes to make a better world, Cobal. If you don't I'm sure the garrison here would be happy to throw a rebel into the prison."

Cobal sighed. All right...so this was going to be difficult. He couldn't trust Strike to help him in whatever plans he had, so he might as well consider himself alone. So...what to do? He glanced up at Wendy's palace again. He wanted to go rushing up the mountain and smash into it right now, but honestly, that was terrible. No way he could overcome hundreds of the princess' elite guards. So what was his next bet?

Cobal closed his eyes, trying to ignore the wet raindrops falling on his head. Luigi...Luigi liked to take things slow. In Toadbert's stories he had been the more strategic brother, the one who had stopped Mario from running into dozens of Bowser's traps blindly. Cobal couldn't afford to give into his fighter instinct when he had nobody watching his back. He had to be like Luigi.

"We need to find more information." Cobal decided, opening his eyes and looking at Strike. "We're going to the bar."

"If that's what you say." Strike replied simply.

* * *

Delphino Plaza seemed to have quite the large amount of taverns. The problem with them seemed to be that they were all full of Koopa Troop officers. If Cobal wanted to learn information that would expose weaknesses in the Koopa Troop's armour, it was best he'd do it in a place that the Koopas would not notice. The problem was that as the location of Sector Three's main imperial headquarters, that was difficult to do. He was going to have to visit some pretty shady places, although thankfully, as one of Toad Town's "bad boys" he knew a thing or two about that.

Cobal turned a bend next to a near-overflowing canal and entered a dark alleyway. Clotheslines hung overhead, swaying in the wind, and the alley was nearly pitch-black except for a thin beam of light coming from a single doorway. Next to the doorway was a faded sign with the words "Big Boo Bar". Cobal sighed with relief. A place like this, out of every establishment in Delphino Plaza, was likely to have what he wanted.

The inside of the Big Boo Bar was a dark room, packed with unsavoury-looking people, and dimly lit with low ceilings. A scrawny pianta with pale orange skin tended the bar, his head covered in scars. The people sitting at the seats were mainly Piantas and Nokis, although there was a scattering of Toads, Koopas, and Goombas as well. Cobal swept his eyes over the people, trying to locate somebody he thought could held. A disgraced former officer, perhaps? Behind him, Strike stood, stoic and threatening, giving dark looks to anybody who glanced their way.

There was one person in the bar who stood out to Cobal, simply because of how outlandish he looked. He was a Kremling, first of all, and an incredibly large one. As Cobal had never seen a Kremling before, that was enough to make him stare, but the Kremling was an especially strange-looking one. First of all, he wore a red cape with a diamond broach and a tall gold crown. Something about the Kremling reminded Cobal of a story Toadbert had told him, although he didn't remember the details. Didn't Donkey Kong have dealings with a Kremling who looked just like this?

Somehow, although he wasn't sure if it was a good idea, Cobal decided to talk to the Kremling. Maybe he was just a crazy person with strange fashion sense who'd have no idea how to bring down the Koopa Troop, but Cobal felt he needed to indulge the sense of curiosity he felt. Cobal walked over the creaking floorboards and sat down in front of the Kremling.

"Hey there." he said, feeling somewhat intimidated in the large reptilian's presence. "You remind me of a guy I heard about."

The Kremling looked up from his huge mug of strong-smelling green liquid and glared at Cobal. Cobal noticed his right eye was large and bloodshot. "Are you trying to make fun of me, yoshi?" the Kremling hissed.

"Nah, that's not worth my time." Cobal replied. "I've heard stories about a guy who looks just like you. I was wondering."

"Stories!" the Kremling scoffed, picking up his mug and taking an especially large glug of whatever was inside of it. "They aren't stories, kid, they are facts." he grinned, baring his pointed, yellow teeth. "Facts about me. I'm the King K Rool, baby!" he took another huge drink from his mug, before slamming it down on the table so hard that the table cracked. Cobal noted the Kremling's breath was incredibly bad.

"You mean you're really the same King K Rool who fought Donkey Kong?" Cobal asked skeptically. "How is that?"

"Oh, please." K Rool sneered. "Do you think an imposter could reach my level of physique?" he pounded his belly with his clawed hands.

Cobal looked hard at King K Rool, and thought back to everything he knew about him. The King K Rool he had heard about had been a tyrant, commanding a huge organization known as the Kremling Krew, which had launched attack after attack on Donkey Kong Island. He'd been nearly as persistent in his efforts as Bowser himself. What was he doing here? Had he simply retired from active villainy?

Cobal glanced behind him; Strike was watching, his arms crossed. He looked back at K Rool, who was staring at him with an expression of annoyance. "Ok, so you're the real deal." Cobal said, staring at the kremling's red eyes. "So why are you drinking in a dingy tavern on Isle Delpino instead of leading your army."

King K Rool suddenly shot forward with the speed of a snake, until his face was an inch away from Cobals. "Because that blasted _Bowser_ decided that the world didn't need two reptilian warlords." K Rool hissed. "I barely escaped with my life! I lost everything. The Kremling Krew is gone. My ambitions are gone. Now all I have left are the remnants of the Kremling fortune, which are enough to buy me enough Swamp Beer to last of a lifetime!" he leaned back on his seat, and gestured to a dry bones waiter. "Fill this up." he said, shoving his empty mug in the undead Koopa's face. The Dry Bones took it and scurried away to the bar.

The situation struck Cobal as somewhat sad, almost like the situation Luigi had been in when he'd met him. Toadbert's stories had not painted K Rool in a very favourable light and normally he'd be glad to see the former tyrant brought down from glory, but seeing him in this pathetic, destitute state just didn't seem right. He'd been proud once, but the Koopa Empire had destroyed all of that just like they had so many other things.

"Sounds like an awful life for a king." Cobal commented, raising an eyebrow. "You still call yourself _King_ K Rool, yet you don't even try to regain your throne. You were tough enough to get back up again countless times after Donkey Kong beat you down. The way I see it, the Kremling Krew isn't dead into you say it is, King K Rool."

K Rool laughed hollowly. "You're a bold kid, coming up the the great King K Rool and trying to get him to change his life. Look at me, boy! I was always the second-rate Bowser anyway. Eventually Donkey Kong got so busy dealing with Tiki Tak Tribes and Snowmads he just about forgot me. Just when I had finally got together every bit of the Kremling Krew for my biggest plan yet, the ol' plumber in the Mushroom Kingdom bites the dust and the Koopas go psyco. One week and it was all gone...just me, the Flying Krock and it's crew. Eventually most of them left. Now it's just me, and those buffoons Klump and Krusha." he jabbed a finger at Cobal, sneering. "Let me get this straight to you, yoshi boy. There ain't no room for a king in a world with only one kingdom! Look at that guy!"

He swept his arm over to a table to his right, where a green-skinned, blonde man in a faded cape and white uniform slouched, a mug in his hand. "That bloke over there should be Peasley III, King of the Beanbean Kingdom, since his old woman got offed in the war. But the only problem is there isn't any Beanbean Kingdom anymore. There's no Kremling Krew. There's only the Koopa Empire, kid, and there's nothing even the stars can do about it!"

Cobal glanced at the man. Peasley? Prince Peasley? He'd been the Beanbean Kingdom's greatest hero, who'd helped the Mario brothers against the evil witch Cackletta! Cobal had always assumed he had died. But he was really alive and hiding away all this time!?

Before Cobal could do anything, Strike had moved forward, slamming his hands on the table in front of Peasley with so much force the table shook. "What do you have to say about yourself, Beanbean prince?" Strike shouted.

Everybody in the small bar turned to stare at the two. Cobal was shocked; Strike had never showed this much emotion before. King K Rool sneered, baring his teeth. "This'll be good." he chuckled.

Prince Peasley looked up to meet Strike's gaze. "H...uh?" he said in a tired voice.

"You're a murderer." Strike hissed an a venomous voice. "You Beanbean Kingdom idiots like to think of yourselves as the good guys, don't you? Explain why you wiped out Grand General Spineblast's fleet. Eight thousand loyal soldiers, Beanbean trash. What's heroic in that?"

Peasley sighed. "I'm done." he said weakly. "Kill me if you want to. The Beanbean Kingdom died with your fleet. I'm not the prince anymore. Do it. I'm not worth anything."

Cobal watched with wide eyes. He had heard of the terrible events that had happened to the Beanbean Kingdom in the first days of the war. It had been the single most destructive part of Bowser's world-domination campaign. At first the Beanish had used the Beanstar to protect their nation from Koopa invasion. It had stayed safe for an entire year, until the Koopa Troop had sacked the Sticker Star and obtained the Sticker Comet. The event that had happened was cataclysmic. A gigantic armada of airships, let by the Grand General himself, hovered over the Beanbean Kingdom as a wish was made on the Sticker Star to dispel the Beanstar's barrier; a barrier that had been created by a wish for the Beanbean Kingdom to be protected from all harm. This contradiction of two wishes created a gigantic explosion that wiped out not only the entire fleet, but destroyed Beanbean Castle Town and miles around it, claiming the lives of Grand General Spineblast of the Koopa Troop, Queen Bean and Lady Lima of the Beanbean Kingdom, and thousands of others on both sides.

"My father died that day." Strike's voice was almost a whisper, dripping with threat. His face was cold and emotionless. "He was a loyal soldier who wanted nothing more then to do his duty to his nation. You could have stood and fought. You could've used the Beanbean in a million different ways. But because of what you did, he and countless other mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, died. You-"

Suddenly Peasley was up on his feet, his long rapier pointed at Strike's throat. Despite the former's prince's dishevelled look the sword looked polished to perfection. "Don't you dare say that!" he screamed in a horse voice, the eyes of everyone in the bar on him. All conversation had ceased; even the bartender was watching as if it were some kind of show. "My mother died, you Koopa trash! Don't you dare say it was our fault! None of us knew what would happen if two wishes collide! None of us even thought that you would obtain a wish yourself! Perhaps if you had no tried so hard to crush my nation, you-"

Strike's hands burst into flame as his eyes grew hard. "Shut your mouth, Beanish scum!" he exclaimed.

"I may be a failure, a pathetic waste of space," Peasley shouted, "But I will not let you slander the honour of the Beanish people by accusing them of the same war crimes that you yourself are guilty of!"

"Drop your sword." Strike said cooly.

K Rool chuckled wickedly beside Cobal. "I haven't seen something so good since _Toad Force V!"_ he exclaimed.

Cobal knew he had to do something. Strike and Peasley were going to fight. That couldn't happen. Peasley was a broken man, but he didn't have to stay that way. And if Strike was going to act like this, he'd land himself in trouble and could kiss his dreams of creating a more honourable Koopa Troop goodbye. It was time to step in.

"Stop!" he exclaimed, striding towards them. Peasley and Strike stopped their arguing and turned to look at him. "Look, both of you. War's awful, it's time to just accept that. Way I here it it wasn't the Koopas or the Beanish's fault...just a quirk of wish magic that nobody knew about because it had never happened before. You wanna get back at somebody? Get back at Bowser; he made the war to begin with!" he turned to K Rool. "That goes for you two, King K Rool; I thought that all-mighty King of Crocodile Isle was more then a drunk lazy slob!"

"Well, naturally I am!" K Rool replied, standing up and walking towards Cobal.

"Prove it." Cobal replied, glaring at K Rool before turning back to Peasley and Strike. "Peasley, you're going to help us whether you want to or not. K Rool, stick with us and you'll prove you're more then "second-rate Bowser" like you said you were. Tell me everything you know about Isle Delphino. Then we'll use it against them."

Peasely was silent. Cobal could tell by the look in his black eyes that he was judging him. It was King K Rool who spoke up.

"There are things happening around here, all right." he said, crossing his arms. "I dunno what to think about them, but supposedly Koopa ships are disappearing like they're being picked off by a ghost or something. Funny thing about that is I heard members of the Goombino Mafia discussing how their partners are "taking care of the Koopas". Apparently the Goombino's have made a deal trading flight-stones to some big-shot group calling themselves "Seven Stars". Is it connected? Maybe, but an old croc like me can't be bothered by it."

Cobal thought hard about what K Rool had said. Koopa ships being picked off mysteriously? That sounded promising. Could there possibly be an anti-empire group with the resources to do this? Then again, if Seven Stars was part of organized crime it was unlikely to be an ally, but it was still worth checking out. "Thanks, K Rool." Cobal nodded, before looking back at Strike and Peasley. Those two were going to be difficult. It would be easier to do this without them (who would've thought King K Rool would've been the easiest to work with?) but a former hero like Prince Peasley just couldn't be abandoned like this and as much as he'd like to be free of him, if he escaped Strike the Koopa would report his treachery to the Koopa Troop. "Come on, guys." he sighed, gesturing for them to stand up. "You wanna stop Emperor Bowser or not?"


	30. The Conflict Approaches

**Chapter Thirty: The Conflict Approaches**

Luigi stood in the top of one of the skyscrapers in New Donk City, looking out over the sea of ruined buildings towards the brightly-lit skyline of Koopa Central. A hot wind blew past him, carrying with it the foul scent of the Koopa Empire's factories. The Imperial Citadel loomed before him, it's towers and battlements seeming so immense it looked to Luigi like it was near-invincible.

"An intimidating sight, ain't it." Yoshi said, crossing his arms as he joined Luigi.

"I'm kind of used to it." Luigi admitted, scratching his head. "It's bigger then usual, but it's just another one of Bowser's hundreds of castles. My bro and I got through all the others, so..."

Yoshi laughed. "You know, I wish everyone in Fire Flower was that optimistic." he admitted. "Things get depressing out hear, with the sun never being out and everything." he glanced up at the red sky. "Seriously, do the Koopas like this?"

"How's Yoshi's Island?" Luigi asked curiously.

"Not good." Yoshi's eyes grew hard. "It's the location of a big Koopa Troop fortress belonging to one of their top generals...a man called General Guy."

"Isn't that the person with the toy tank?" Luigi asked, thinking back to Mario's stories about his adventures. "My bro didn't make him seem that threatening."

"Nah, this is a different General Guy." Yoshi replied. "He was a sergeant back in the good ol' days. He's really not that intimidating on his own, but the problem with him is that he heads a special Koopa Troop division dedicated to tracking down Princess Peach."

"Princess Peach!?" Luigi exclaimed. If the Koopa Troop didn't know where she was, that meant that she couldn't be being held prisoner! "Yoshi, do you-"

Yoshi shook his head sadly. "Sorry, Luigi." he replied. "Princess Peach's location is still a mystery. She hasn't been seen since the Battle of Toad Town. A lot of the folks here at Fire Flower think she's dead."

"She's alive!" Luigi replied, his eyes hard. Sure, he didn't have any proof to back it up, but the alternative was just far too depressing. "She's just hiding out until Bowser's defeated!"

Yoshi smiled. "Well, if that's true then we're going to be making a big move towards her coming back." he said. "If we break Roy's hold on the Sand Kingdom and the rest of the smaller territories under Sector Four, that'll be freeing thousands of people from one of the cruelest rulers in the Empire. It'll be the greatest act of heroism since the Shroobs were driven out!"

"Oh yeah!" Luigi exclaimed, smiling. It was odd...even though he was in the midst of an incredibly depressing area, with evidence of their destruction all around and the greatest symbol of their power on the horizon, he hadn't felt this happy in ages. "Yoshi, we're-a gonna save those people." he said, placing a gloved hand on Yoshi's shoulder. "We're going to ride out against the Koopas and fight a battle that'll make Mario proud!"

"That's the spirit!" Yoshi exclaimed. "Too bad I can't come with you...gotta do mission control here at the main base."

"Awww..." Luigi sighed. He'd been looking forward to jumping on Yoshi's back and blasting through the enemies, classic-style.

* * *

Following his conversation with Yoshi, Luigi made his way down the stairs of the empty skyscraper and back into the Fire Flower headquarters. The underground base was abuzz with activity, the members of Fire Flower rushing every which way presenting their superiors with reports. As Luigi entered the main control room, he saw that every member was on their computer, doing research on Neon City. A green-capped, moustached Toad wearing a purple shirt and cape made his way over to Yoshi.

"Yoshi, we have confirmed reports that Neon City only has twenty percent of it's usual defence force!" the Toad reported. "The rest of his army is fighting in the war. If we strike now, we will have our best opportunity to remove Roy Koopa from power!"

"Wonderful, Toadificus." Yoshi nodded, before turning to Luigi. "Luigi, right now, it's about six o'clock in the mourning. By next evening, I'll want the attack to begin."

Luigi's eyes widened. Next evening? That was so soon! He didn't know if he was ready to fight Roy. He was still out of shape, when the burly Koopaling would've been training through all those years! "Yoshi..."

"It's our only chance, Luigi." Yoshi said seriously. "We don't know what his next move will be. If his forces win any of the battles they are currently fighting, some of them could return to the city. We can't let this opportunity disappear."

"Oh...ok." Luigi nodded. His heart was beating in his chest. So it was going to be him and Roy, going at it again...he hadn't fought any of the Koopalings since the Battle of Toad Town.

"As you have ordered, ships from all of our cells are convening at our meet-up location." Toadificus said to Yoshi. "We will have a full-fledged fleet to deal with any ships and defences Roy still has with him!"

"Yoshi, don't worry." Luigi said, summoning up his confidence. "I can handle this! I am a Mario bro, remember!"

"Of course." Yoshi nodded. "May the stars shine down on you, Luigi."

Filled with confidance, Luigi made his way to the hanger. The stolen Koopa airship loomed before him, surrounded by a Fire Flower pit crew that was giving it last-minute check-ups. He straightened his cap. Luigi hoped that somehow, Mario was watching him. He was so nervous he was shaking in his boots, but he wasn't about to back away. For the first time, he was about to strike the Koopa Empire a serious, threatening blow.

* * *

Yoshi turned to Toadificus once Mario had left. He took a deep breath. He felt bad leaving Luigi in the dark about this, but somehow he thought that the plumber would be opposed to the second phase of Operation Broken Sunglasses. "Is it ready, Toadificus?" he asked.

"Of course, Yoshi." Toadificus nodded. "Our technicians just finished stabilizing the core. Once Luigi defeats Roy...the Nuclear Bob-omb will be ready to go."

"That's great, Toadificus." Yoshi nodded. The green dinosaur turned to look at the giant, glowing Fire Flower symbol that loomed over the base. Fire Flowers...they were a source of destruction to any enemy of their wielder. The Mushroom Kingdom...no, the world, had suffered long enough. It was time to bring that destruction to their enemies.

* * *

One of the reasons why Ludwig von Koopa had chosen to build his castle in the Wooded Kingdom's mountains was because of the caves. Huge natural caverns, artificially enlarged, were the perfect places to design his weapons. Neither High Command or his pesky siblings could have any idea of what he was working on until he felt ready to reveal it. Once again, Ludwig complemented himself for his foresight in choosing where he would establish his sector of control. The Wooded Kingdom's lack of big cities was a small sacrifice to make for the creation of the Neo Empire.

Ludwig stood on a high metal balcony, overlooking a gigantic cavern lit by harsh industrial lights. Hundreds of technicians scurried about below him, preforming the final touch-ups on his latest creation. Ludwig gripped the railing and smiled.

He had been barely ten years old when he had built the first airship. He'd had old blueprints of aircraft his grandfather had developed for the war against the Mushroom Kingdom, of course, but he'd made dozens of improvements. This design, which he had come to refer to as the Airship Mk 1, had served the Koopa Troop throughout all of his father's kidnapping schemes and the struggles against Mario. Later, after Mario's death, when the Koopa Troop had entered into war with the Metro Kingdom, the last struggle until they established the worldwide empire, Ludwig had created a new airship, once that was larger and stronger, the Airship Mk. II, the Koopa battleships currently used by the Koopa Troop. But Ludwig, naturally, aimed higher.

The Airship Mk. III was larger then the Koopa battleships, build of shiny, light-blue metal instead of wood. It had a long, sleek design, looking less like a floating sailing ship and more like a futuristic capital ship. A long tower rose over the ship, at the top of which was situated the bridge. While he had forgone most of the airship's typical homages to ocean-going ship design, he had naturally decided to keep the figurehead. Nobody was going to look at this beautiful work of art without knowing that _he_ had built it.

Ludwig heard footsteps beside him, and he turned to see a golden-robed Magikoopa with hexagonal etchings in her robe join him in looking over the massive development hanger. "Impressive as always, Ludwig von Koopa." she said.

"Ah, Lady Krezena." Ludwig greeted his ally cordially. The Yellow Star had been staying at his castle ever since she had arrived, and Ludwig was not yet certain if he felt comfortable with the shadowy underworld leader observing his operations. Still, the co-operation of Seven Stars was far too important to his plans for him to voice any complaints. "The technology provided by your organization is suburb." Ludwig smiled, gesturing over at the battleship before them. "The Shroob technology you provided has opened my mind up to countless new ideas and allowed me to develop a new energy weapon that will replace those primitive Bill Blasters on my Airship Mk. III. You can give my thanks to the Grand Star."

"Glad to see you are pleased with our deal." Krezena nodded. "The Board of Directors looks forward to a continuation in our partnership."

"So long as you continue to provide, I would be happy." Ludwig responded, turning around with a swish of his cape and walking towards the door. His mind was not on Seven Stars or Krezena at the moment. It was only on the war. Reports were flying in. Already half of the Snow Kingdom was under Neo Empire control, along with a quarter of the various islands that composed Sector 5. The one issue with his conquest was in Sector Two, in which the combined might of Morton and Bowser Jr's armies were actually managing to push his soldiers back. " _Curse that Bowser Jr._ " Ludwig thought to himself as the iron doors to the elevator automatically opened. " _Sector Two will be the first part of my father's empire I will test my scientific achievements against!"_

Ludwig entered the elevator, his face curving into a cruel smile. Yes, everything was going to be perfect soon. Sectors Five and Six would fall in a matter of weeks. Once Sectors Two and Eight were destroyed, all that remained was Koopa Central. He was going to enjoy crushing his father almost as much as he was going to enjoy finally seating himself upon the Koopa Throne. His birthright would be restored to him. If his mother, Queen Lavaria Koopa, could see him now, she'd be proud. They had always been close...she had talked to him often about what it meant to be a good king! She would understand the sacrifices he had made, Ludwig told himself. She would be pleased he had reprehended his spoiled younger siblings who thought they could get away with everything and dealt with his delusional father! The Neo Empire would stand the test of time, and reach not just into the Mushroom Kingdom, but into the furthest reaches of the galaxy. One day, children as far as Flipside would study in school the life and struggles of Emperor Ludwig von Koopa, the man who brought the universe into a golden age of prosperity,

Krezena joined Ludwig in the elevator as the doors closed. With a low rumble, it began to rise.

"Prince Ludwig, I have some news to convey to you." she said, glancing up at him. "The Board of Directors are further intrigued by your work here and your plans for the world. The Purple Star, in particular, has decided to come visit you."

Ludwig crossed his arms and looked away. He had become worried that Krezena was becoming entitled. Yes, she was one of the heads of Seven Stars, and Ludwig's co-operation with Seven Stars had been a critical part of his rebellion. However, Ludwig had recently made the decision to begin slowly breaking his reliance on them. If the Neo Empire was completely dependant on Seven Stars, he would end up becoming a pawn of the Grand Star, as opposed to them simply having a partnership. Of this he was certain; Seven Stars had become the undisputed ruler of the international underworld by ruthlessness. They had had several governments in their pocket before his father's conquests, and he did not doubt they just considered him a means to an end. The problem (for them, at least), was that he, also, considered them nothing more then that.

"The Purple Star may do what he likes." Ludwig replied simply. "I do hope he's fond of what I'm doing here."

"Prince Ludwig, you do not understand." Krezena replied sharply. "The Purple Star is a member of what we refer to as the "trinity" of Seven Stars. The Purple Star and Blue Star, together under the Grand Star's leadership, have authority over the rest of the Board of Directors. He is my superior. I suggest you treat him as such."

Ludwig chuckled. "My dear Yellow Star, I don't have time to be hosting fancy dinner parties." he said, brushing back his blue hair. "Oh, rest assured, the Purple Star will be treated with the most hospitality, but if you believe he will be given my undivided attention, well...you obviously don't know me, Krezena."

Krezena was silent. "Very well, Prince Ludwig." she nodded. "I hope you understand the terms of our agreement, correct? If we are displeased with you, we can terminate our partnership and you will be left without a supplier!"

The doors to the elevator hissed open, and Ludwig stepped into one of the elegant blue-draped halls of his palace, the electronic lights on the bronze chandeliers dimmed to resemble candlelight. "Oh, don't fret, Krezena." Ludwig replied, his eyes shining in the light. "I'm too good of a friend for that, wouldn't you agree?"


	31. The Silver Ship

**Chapter Thirty-One: The Silver Ship**

 _Looking at the story's stats, I've realized that this is probably the first month since I first posted here that every single chapter has gotten over ten views. Currently, we've reached nearly 12,000 views in total! I'm so glad everybody is enjoying my story so much and I hope to continue to surprise and impress you with what I've got in store. I hope you continue reading, because some of the upcoming chapters are going to blow your mind_!

Cobal stood in one of the thin, dimly-lit hallways on the Flying Krock, King K Rool's personal aircraft. The Flying Krock had a fairly terrible smell throughout that seemed to him somewhat akin to gasoline, and was lit by flickering green lights. It was clearly a ship that had seen better days.

Surprisingly, considering the ragtag nature of their group, intercepting the Goombino Mafia had proved fairly easy. Currently the Goombas were tied up and thrown into the Flying Krock's brig; Strike didn't want to risk the Koopa Troop soldiers apprehending the gangsters and getting them to reveal how he was working with rebels. The information they had given was scarce.

The Goombinos had made a deal with Seven Stars, a syndicate that was the undisputed power in the international underworld. Apparently they had a contract in which the Goombinos were going to deliver to Seven Stars flight-rocks, strange purple stones which were excellent power sources for levitation devices. According to Toadbert, the Koopa Troop had done a fair bit of flight-rock mining back in the day, particularity during a point in time in which a dimensional portal had been opened to a reality where everything was paper. Bowser had lifted his castle into the air with massive engines powered by these rocks. The Goombinos had, after some particularity intense questioning by Strike, revealed that one of Seven Stars' leaders was going to meet up with them on an unnamed island three miles south of Delphino. That was the island they were currently on.

"Blast me fangs, I thought we were done there." Cobal heard K Rool hiss from the bridge, which was right next to corridor Cobal was in there. "If it hadn't have been for that cloaking shield that nearly bankrupted me, that blockade would've turned me into fried reptile!"

Cobal turned the wheel on the heavy iron door and stepped into the Flying Krock's bridge. The bridge of the last remnant of the Kremling Krew's authority was in a sorry state, although Cobal wondered if K Rool had ever kept it tidy to begin with. The green paint on the metal walls was peeling off in places, and there was miscellaneous junk pushed to every side. Prince Peasley was sitting atop a large barrel, seemingly keeping to himself. K Rool was stalking around in the centre, while Strike seemed to be enduring him.

"What are the specs on this thing?" Strike asked K Rool seriously. Cobal could tell the Fire Bro was having difficulty addressing the Kremling king, as if he was not quite sure if K Rool was about to suddenly turn on him. "I will be blunt here; it's a piece of junk."

"Oh, the Flying Krock has the absolute highest specs!" came a high-pitched voice from the co-pilot's seat at the front of the bridge. Cobal noticed that a large blue Kremling wearing a muscle shirt was sitting there. The Kremling raised a claw and grinned. "The boss bought this ol' flyer way back at the underworld auction! Said it was the best deal of his life!"

"Just because he bought it for cheap doesn't mean it's worth anything." Strike replied bluntly, crossing his arms.

"Yes, shut up, Krusha!" K Rool shouted. "My ego's already low enough as it is, you don't need to go telling them stuff like that!"

"We're ready to fly off when you are, sir!" came a voice from the pilot's seat. Cobal noticed that it was occupied by a brown Kremling wearing an army helmet. "The Kremling Krew is ready for action."

"An amazing display of leadership, General Klump, considering you and Krusha are the only one of those dimwits who decided to stick with me." King K Rool hissed, continuing to pace back and forth. "And sometimes I wish you hadn't!"

Cobal noticed that Peasley didn't seem to be interacting with anyone at all. In fact, the bean prince had remained quite silent since the fight in the tavern. Cobal did not quite know why he had brought him. It seemed like the right idea at the time, him being essentially the Beanbean Kingdom's equivalent to Mario back in his prime. Feeling a little concerned for him, Cobal closed the door behind him and crossed the floor to Peasley.

"What's up?" he asked. "You ready to meet these Seven Stars people?"

Peasley looked up at Cobal, a distant look in his eye. "Listen to be, yoshi, because I will be frank." he said sadly, while in the background the three Kremlings began to bicker. "I don't know who you think I am. Yes, I was a hero once, but that was a long time ago. I don't even know if I remember all my Beanish fencing techniques. As far as I'm concerned, the whole concept of heroes died with the Mario brothers."

"Hey." Cobal said, sitting down next to him on a wooden crate. "Luigi's still out there. He's still being a hero. He taught me, you know."

Peasley's eyes instantly lit up. "Luigi's alive?" he smiled. "My, my, this is good news." he shook his head in disbelief. "You know, we got along rather well." Peasley admitted. To Cobal, his voice sounded distant and nostalgic. "He seemed much more gentlemanly, really. Mario was a great man but rather crude. I always thought Luigi deserved better then getting killed by those Koopas, you know."

Cobal smiled. It felt good, bringing hope to people like this. It was amazing what the news that one of the Mario brothers had survived could bring to people. If Luigi's name carried such weight with it...what would it have been like to see both of the bros in action? Not for the first time, Cobal felt himself wishing he had been born in another time.

"I still can't be the man you think I am." Peasley sighed. "But perhaps I won't give up on heroes just yet, if Luigi indeed survived."

"We're working to restore the Mushroom Kingdom right now." Cobal nodded. "Hey, if you come with us, maybe the Beanbean Kingdom can get restored too."

"It's in an awful state." Peasley admitted sadly. "All that's left of Castle Town is a giant crater. But still...I thank you for your optimism."

* * *

The day spent within the hot, stuffy confines of the Flying Krock was quite tiresome. It was made all the worse by the fact that the group really didn't get along; Strike and Peasley still kept shooting hostile looks at each other and K Rool and his two cronies got on everyone's nerves, including Cobal's. The shadows lengthened outside as the sun dipped below the horizen, dying the sky orange, until night finally descended on the small, unnamed island. The time of the meet-up between Seven Stars and the Goombinos was fast approaching.

Eventually, King K Rool gave the order to get the Flying Krock up into the air. This had been part of a plan devised by Strike to contact the Seven Stars members through communications channels. The advantage to that was that Seven Stars would be unable to see their faces, so if they turned out to be untrustworthy they would be unable to give their identities away. Cobal stood on the bridge between the pilot and co-pilot's seats, staring out of the green-tinted window out at the cloudy night sky. They right over the open sea right now...far away from anyone. It was a bad business, Cobal couldn't deny that, but at the same time he knew this meeting could provide valuable info he couldn't afford to miss.

"Is it just me, or are you getting chills right now, Klump?" Krusha asked from the co-pilot's seat.

"It's just the weather, Krusha, you should know by now that our heating system's broke down." Klump shot back from the pilot's seat.

Cobal, however, knew that wasn't exactly the case. Even though, true, the Flying Krock was uncomfortably cold, Cobal felt extremely nervous about meeting one of the leaders of the mysterious crime syndicate. He glanced in Peasley's direction; the Bean prince was sitting on the same barrel he'd been on earlier, although his face had a stronger, more driven look to it. That was better, at least.

"What are the weapons on this thing?" Strike asked K Rool seriously.

K Rool shrugged. "Some guns." he replied. "Don't ask for details, I'm a king, not a mechanic!"

Strike sighed and made no further comment.

"Uh, boss, we got something big coming up on the radar." Klump spoke up.

K Rool peered closer. "Let's see what this baby has to offer." he hissed, baring his pointed teeth.

Suddenly, a silver light shone through the skies. Slowly, out of the clouds, a huge ship began to emerge, nearly ten times the size of the Flying Krock. It seemed to be made of a shiny, silvery material covered in white lights, and had a sleek, futuristic design with two large, smooth spurs jutting forward. It was coming right towards them, as if to trap them between it's vice-like prow. Cobal was definitely shaking now. There was something that seemed alien and ghostly about the ship, like it was something impossible to understand but could only bring bad tidings.

"Guess that's our guy." he said.

"Give em' a call." K Rool ordered.

Krusha jammed a few buttons on his control panel, but nothing seemed to happen. "It...it ain't working, boss!" he exclaimed in a panic. "The transmissions working, but they don't seem to wanna answer!"

"I suspected as much." Strike said icily, taking a few steps forward. "They expected to meet with the Goombinos, not with us. Most likely they'll start firing at us any minute now."

"Uhh...that true, boss?" Klump asked, scratching his head as he turned around to look at his king. "Because if so, shouldn't we be getting out of here?"

"You don't need me to tell you that, you nitwit!" K Rool shouted, smacking Klump hard on the top of his head.

"Hey, not so fast." Cobal said, running up and standing between the two huge Kremlings. He hadn't done all of this for nothing. "We gotta find a way to board that ship. I'm talking to Seven Stars."

"If your heart is really set on this, I can get you in." Strike said, matter-of-factly. He snapped his fingers, igniting a flame on the tip of his finger. "At the military academy, I learnt a Firehand technique involving concentrating your flame into a super-hot laser. It's designed to cut through armour. If we get dropped off on that ship, then I can get you in."

"You know, I don't think I've ever been so happy to have you here." Cobal replied, grinning at Strike. The plan seemed extremely risky...but that was all part of the draw. Maybe Luigi wouldn't have approved of it, but Luigi also wasn't here.

"I will accompany you." Peasley said suddenly, sliding to the ground and walking towards Cobal and Strike. "If I really want to do something with my life, I am not going to accomplish it by sitting around."

"Excellent." Strike nodded, before turning to K Rool. "King K Rool, do you understand what your role in this is?"

K Rool scratched his head. "I drop you guys off, right?" he asked. "Sounds like you all really want to die, but whatever. This is the most fun I've had in years."

Wind whipped around Cobal as he stood in the small hanger bay of the Flying Krock, Strike and Peasley beside him. The silver ship was below him, it's white lights blinking. Cobal could see gun emplacements covering the hull. This was a warship through and through...probably more then a match for anything in the Koopa Empire's fleet. "You ready?" he shouted over the roar of the wind.

"Naturally." Strike replied, as if he did something like this every day.

Then Cobal leaped. He fell through the air for about twenty seconds, before landing firmly on the ship's smooth surface. He straightened himself, careful that his boots didn't slip, and thanked the stars it wasn't raining. Strike and Peasley landed firmly beside him.

Immediatly, Strike pointing at the shiny surface before him and fired a thin beam of flame, drilling a circular entrance for them. Peasley crossed his arms together, his white cape flapping in the wind. There was a clang, and the piece of hull Strike had been cutting away it fell down. "We're in." he said simply.

Cobal, following Strike, dropped into the silver ship and found himself in a corridor lit by white lights. It was wider then the claustrophobic walkways in the Flying Krock, and the walls were curved at a sharp, almost triangular angle. It was extremely silent, except for the wind whistling through the whole Strike had created, and Cobal got the strange sense that he did not belong here.

They made there way down the corridor, encountering nobody, until they eventually found a door. By now Cobal's heart was beating and he asked himself why he was so nervous. He'd heard the tales of Luigi's adventures through various haunted mansions; was this how he felt?

Cobal took a step forward. The door slid open.

Cobal stepped into what was clearly the ship's bridge. It was a large room, with a huge window at the end looking out into the night. Strangely, he could not see the Flying Krock. The walls were covered in white-coloured screens, and he could tell they were on a raised platform of sorts. Closer to the window there appeared to be a kind of bit, out of which were coming the sounds of technology and low voices. Directly in front of them, looking over the control pit, was a large, metal chair.

"Well then." Cobal said loudly. "Let's get this over with."

There was a low hiss as the chair turned around. Cobal saw that the person sitting in it was a Kremling, although one that looked quite different from King K Rool and his henchmen. He was quite a bit thinner, first of all, and his scales were pure black. The Kremling was dressed in a silver-coloured trenchcoat.

"I'm sure you can understand that I don't take kindly to people barging in on my ship unannounced." the Kremling said in a low voice, his clawed hands clasped on his lap. "Please, explain yourself."

"My name is Cobal." Cobal said, stepping forward. The Kremling regarded him with an aloof, indifferent look. "I'm against the Koopa Empire. I take it you aren't with them either, right?"

The Kremling laughed and rose from his chair. "My friend Cobal..." the Kremling smiled. "I am not with either you or them. My loyalty is exclusively to the Grand Star. You may call me "Silver Star". I was on my way to secure a profitable deal when you waylaid me. I do _not_ enjoy being held up by complications, you understand?" he smiled again, and Cobal saw his eyes glittering. Somehow, Cobal got the idea that he had made a very bad mistake.

"Here at Seven Stars we pride ourselves in our secrecy." Silver Star said, holding up a clawed hand and examining it. "Even most underworld gangs have to be very well-connected to even know we exist. The thought of three outsiders in one of our command ships is...preposterous. My course of action is obvious. You three, or course, must die."

Before Cobal could do a thing, Prince Peasley was before him, his rapier drawn and pointing right at the Silver Star. "You villain!" Peasley exclaimed. "I'll have no more of this!"

"So be it." Silver Star replied, raising his claws. There was a burst of silver-colored circle, triangle, and square runes, and a long, curved sword appeared within his hand.

Even as Peasley and the Kremling dashed at each other, Strike had already launched a fireball the Silver Star's way. The black reptile casually ducked under it and made a slash at Peasley, who barely parried it. Cobal ran across the smooth floor and leapt at the Silver Star. The Silver Star lashed out with his foot, kicking Peasley away, before swiping his left claw around and catching Cobal hard. Cobal went flying through the air, crashing against the command seat.

Strike and Silver Star faced each other down, Strike igniting fireballs in both of his hands. He ran at Silver Star, launching both of them which were quickly blocked by the flat of the Kremling's blade. Strike ducked underneath a slice that would've taken off his head and leaped forward, one of his feet ignited. He kicked the kremling in the chest, slamming him across the bridge. Silver Star dug his blade in the ground to slow his flight, kicking up sparks.

By now both Cobal and Peasley were up and running towards their adversary. Cobal's mind was racing. He'd got them into this position. Because he'd been stupid enough to try to gain intel from these people when he had no real knowledge of where they really stood on things, he'd gotten them into this fight with a powerful enemy on his own ship. No time for regrets now, though. He had to finish this.

As the Silver Star drove Strike back with a series of lightning-fast slashes, Cobal leapt towards him, aiming to stop on his head. As if he had forsight, the Silver Star spun around, knocking Cobal to the ground with the flat of his blade. As Cobal hit the floor he saw Peasley aim a slash at the Kremling, who deflected it, sending the two swordsmen into a lightning-fast exchange of blows.

"You will never overcome the pride of the Beanish people!" Peasley gasped, fighting for breath as he fended off one of the enemy's blows.

"The Beanbean Kingdom died a long time ago." Silver Star laughed, fending off one of Peasley's strikes. "You're irrelevant on the modern stage." he brutally kicked Peasley, sending him flying across the room and nearly hitting Strike, who was rushing forward again, launching fireballs at rapid speed. They streaked across the room, dying the silver floor orange, as Silver Star met them with his blade, expertly fending them off.

Cobal saw his chance. He ran at Silver Star, hoping to catch him while he was focused on Strike. A foot away from him Cobal saw Silver Star's eyes briefly rest upon him. The Kremling bent backwards, ducking under Strike's fireballs, before spinning around and grabbing Cobal by the head. Cobal felt the cold grip of his claws as Silver Star hurled him through the air.

This time, Cobal went soaring past the command chair and landing in the control pit. Dazed, Cobal saw many uniformed people of many species sitting at chairs manning control consoles, each one dressed in a silver military-style jacket and a wearing a silver visor. Above him, there was an orange flash as Strike let off an especially large fire blast.

The crew members had surrounded him. Cobal blinked, restoring his distorted vision. Right in front him, below the upper level where the command seat was, he could see a white screen depicting a map of the area. Supposedly they were near a large fortress called Stoneshell Prison...strange, that wasn't on any of the maps of Sector Three he'd seen. Above him Cobal saw the glint of Silver Star's sword as he fended off another one of Strike's fireballs. The Fire Bro was so talented, but this strange black Kremling was on a whole different level!

"Come quietly, sir." said a uniformed Koopa standing in front of him. "The Silver Star has you corned. It's best you surrender now while your limbs are still attached to your body."

Cobal smirked. "Not a chance." he said, before leaping up into a flutter, jump. He saw Strike running at Silver Star, his fist trailing fire, while Silver Star, grinning wickedly, drew back his sword for a stab. A vision flashed through his eyes of Strike impaled on his enemy's cold, wicked blade. Thinking fast, Cobal spun around and extended his tounge, drawing the Koopa bridge officer into his mouth and incasing him in an eggshell. He hurled the egg with all his might just as Strike reached Silver Star. The egg struck the Kremling on the shoulder, causing him to cry out and lose balance, allow Strike's punch to connect with a fiery explosion. Silver Star was sent flying five feet back, his coat smoking.

"Appreciate the hand there, Cobal." Strike said, gasping for breath.

"No prob, corporal." Cobal grinned. He was feeling exhausted though, and his entire body ached from Silver Star's blows. How much longer could they keep this up?

Peasley rejoined them, looking winded. With a shaky arm, he pointed his rapier at Silver Star, who was rising. The black Kremling dusted himself off and hissed.

"I had taken you for over-curious idiots who had somehow found a way aboard my ship, but it seems like you all have a measure of training." he said, his eyes narrowing. "I might actually have to give this some thought."

He extended his free hand, and, with another burst of silver light, summoned a second sword. Cobal braced himself. Ok...so this guy hadn't even got started yet, and they were all at the end of their strength? This was bad. Really bad. Battle of Toad Town-level bad. The Silver Star advanced, the white light from the monitors reflecting off his swords. In that moment the Kremling looked like a manifistation of death, come to claim there lives at long last.

Then, quite abruptly, the bridge's main window exploded.

Shards of glass suddenly flew through the air as the sound of gunfire erupted around them. The bridge crew screamed as they fought to escape the control pit, which was directly in the line of fire. The Silver Star stopped his advance to gape in shock. Cobal turned his head. There it was in all of it's green, run-down glory...the Flying Krock, with guns blazing. "It's K Rool!" he exclaimed, running forward, ignoring the shards of glass that whizzed past him, slicing at his neck.

"Don't you dare think you're getting away with this!" the Silver Star yelled, brandishing his swords. "You don't know the true scope of our organization or the influence of my partners on the board! Do you really-" Strike let loose a large fireball, lighting up the room and blasting the Silver Star into the far wall.

"Come on, Peasley!" he shouted.

Peasley hesitated, seemingly wanting to continue the fight, before turning and following Strike back into the control pit. A uniformed Toad and Shy Guy cowered under the seats next to them as Cobal leapt through the shattered bridge window into the night sky. Fluttering his legs, he crashed into the Flying Krock's hanger as the Kremling aircraft brought itself up close, allowing Strike and Peasley to make the jump. Then, with such a burst of speed it send Cobal falling onto the hard metal surface, it reversed directions and blasted off into the clouds.

* * *

By the time Cobal made it to the Flying Krock's bridge, he was feeling a combination of overwhelmed and dizzy. King K Rool stood in the centre of the room, his large arms crossed.

"So." he said, his right eye bulging. "Exactly what did you accomplish there?"

"Scoped out a potential threat." Cobal gasped as Peasley and Strike entered the room. "Plus, as an extra bonus, I've discovered something."

"Cloaking shield's on, boss." Klump reported, interrupting him. "Unless that ship's got better scanners then the Koopas, we're invisible."

"Don't assume they don't." Strike cut in. "The technology on the ship looked more advanced then what most Koopa battleships carry."

"All right, then." K Rool sighed in annoyance. "Klump, let Krusha drive. He'll make us all sick with nausea but at least he's such a bad pilot and his map reading skills are so poor his course will be impossible to follow.'

"Gee, thanks for the compliment, boss!" Krusha replied in a voice that didn't sound ironic at all to Cobal.

Cobal glanced around when he heard Peasley sigh. "Some hero I am." the Bean Prince shook his head, looking at his rapier. "I used to be unmatched in a duel."

"You're rusty." Strike send bluntly. "It's called practice."

Peasley looked at him, before looking back at his sword. Cobal hoped he wasn't about to get into another argument.

"What was the new piece of info you got, Cobal?" Strike asked curiously, his blue eyes intent on him.

Cobal scratched his head, wincing as he shifted on one foot and felt his bruises. "It's probably nothing." he admitted, the sounds of the Flying Krock's ancient-seeming engine clattering around him. "But I saw something on that ship's map that wasn't on any of the other ones. Some place called Stoneshell Prison."

Strike stroked his chin. "Stoneshell Prison..." he mused. "I've heard of it. It's the Koopa Empire's maximum-security prison...the place where they stuck all of Mario's allies after the Mushroom Kingdom fell."

Suddenly, all of the pain Cobal felt seemed to instantly disappear. "Wait...what!?" he exclaimed. "You mean...the kind of guys like Captain Toad and Donkey Kong?"

Strike nodded. "All the big names." he replied. "The kind of people who could be a threat to an entire garrison single-handedly."

"Then that's where we're headed next." Cobal replied, gazing out of the Flying Krock's main window. The moon peeked through the clouds, shining it's light down upon them.

"I'll follow." Strike replied. "I'm interested in you, Cobal." the Fire Bro admitted. "I want to see how far your will will take you."

"And I'm coming," K Rool announced, "Because you, kid, just reminded me of what it felt like to be the Kremling King again."

"Yeah." Peasley nodded from the corner. "I have to reclaim my honour, or I'll never be able to face my people once the Beanbean Kingdom is restored."

Cobal tightened his right hand into a fist. "Then let's do this." he said, gazing up at the moon. "Let's free the heroes and bring down the empire. Luigi is counting on us."


	32. Luigi vs Roy

**Chapter Thirty-Two: Luigi vs Roy**

 _This story has finally reached 100,000 words! Thank you for your continued support; last month had the highest ever amount of views for the story, to my knowledge at least. Here's to a great September!_

* * *

Luigi stood at the prow of an airship, looking out at at the endless sand dunes in front of him. A million stars shone in the clear sky above as a warm wind blew past him, waving at his hair tucked neatly underneath his green cap. His fists were gripped tightly as he stood looking at the horizon, waiting.

A fleet of hundreds of airships was behind him, flying in stiff formation. They were the same models the Koopa Troop had used during Luigi's adventuring days, but they had been decorated with new colours to show their allegiance. The wood was painting a dark crimson, and instead of the Bowser figurehead, there was a golden Fire Flower. The flag of Fire Flower blew proudly in the wind as the fleet continued it's way into the Sand Kingdom. The operation to defeat Roy Koopa was underway.

"Everything all right there, Luigi?" came the voice of Koopaner from behind him. Luigi turned to see the blue-shelled Shady Koopa glancing up at him.

"Y...yeah." he replied. "Don't-a worry, I'm ready to do this!" a tremor of nervousness passed through Luigi's body. This was his first real fight since his return...a fight against a Koopa who was no longer a teenager and who had had all of these years to train himself to perfection. What could he, a deadbeat former plumber, do against him? Luigi looked away from Koopaner and back at the approaching horizon. As impossible as it might seem, he had to try. Luigi could imagine the faces of Mario, Princess Peach, Daisy, and everyone else he'd lost looking down at him from the stars as the fleet continued on it's course. He could not fail them or the Mushroom Kingdom. He was going to defeat Roy Koopa here, if it was the last thing he'd do.

"We're approaching Neon City!" came the voice of a Toad from the crows-nest, both excited and frantic all at once. Luigi took a few steps forward and strained his eyes. There was a bright light approaching, one which became clearer the closer they got. It was a brilliant city rising out of the sands, skyscrapers shining with multicoloured light that lit up the surrounding dunes like a disco ball. So this was where Roy had spent all his time after taking over the Mushroom World.

"Load Bill Blasters!" Koopaner barked.

"Yes, sir!" all the Fire Flower members on the deck saluted. Luigi left forward until he was standing on the very tip of the ship's prow. The wind blew at his face as the multi-coloured towers approached, gigantic billboards displaying Roy's face. The Koopaling's face was less round now, much more like Bowsers, although he was still wearing his signature sunglasses. Luigi braced himself. The conflict had began.

* * *

"Prince Roy! Prince Roy!"

The startled voice roused Roy from his sleep on his throne. The Koopaling blinked his eyes. There was a single green-shelled Koopa standing in his throne room. The tables where his loyal courtiers sat were empty and the dark purple lights cast strange shadows on the wall.

"Prince Roy!" the Koopa called again.

"What?" Roy hissed.

"It...it's Fire Flower!" the Koopa exclaimed.

Roy's eyes immediately flashed open as he straightened himself on his throne. Fire Flower...of all the times... "How many?" he instantly asked.

"A...an entire fleet, your highness!" the Koopa replied nervously. "Hundreds of ships!"

Roy roared with anger, crushing the armrests of his throne as he gripped them. How could they have known...this was the least defended Neon City had been for years. All of his forces were out fighting in the war! There was no way he was going to let them trash his beautiful Neon City, which he had spent years building up. There was _absolutely_ no way he was going to let Ludwig and Larry laugh at him! "Get every ship into the air!" he shouted, leaping from his dais and splintering the ground before him, causing the Koopa to leap away in fright. Roy looked down at the cowering minion before him. "I want them to regret this." he said, grinning cruelly. "Show em' that Roy Koopa is no guy to mess with!"

* * *

The Fire Flower fleet flew over Neon City, the well-lit streets like a patchwork of lights beneath Luigi. There, looming ahead of him in the horizon, was a huge fortress, with a giant purple dome covered in spikes. Lights shone from it, stretching into the sky. Luigi's eyes narrowed as he looked at the enormous castle. Well, there it was. Roy's castle. He must've gotten through hundreds of castles belonging to the Koopaling in the past. This was just one more...the last one. Luigi reached down and took his hammer. The huge mallet fit perfectly in his hand. Luigi gave it a few experimental swings. The hammer was a gift from Yoshi; an authentic Beanish Hammerhead Bros Ultra Hammer...in other words, the very best. Luigi gripped the hammer tightly as they continued their flight towards the castle. It was time.

There were small flashes of light as bullet bills fired from turrets placed on the roofs of buildings. Their red eyes shining menecingly, the Bullet Bills streaked to Luigi's airship. Luigi closed his eyes. Twenty years since he had done this...twenty years...but once learnt, physical talents seldom disappeared. He swung his hammer with one hand, colliding with a bullet bill and sending into flying into the sky with the force of a baseball bat. Luigi opened his eyes, smacking away a second one before deflecting two more with a wide sweep of his hammer. The mallet worked as an extention of his arm, smacking away the bullet bills and deflecting them back at their cannons. The smell of the smoke was in Luigi's nostrils as another bullet bill streaked towards him, only to be batted away as if it was only a fly.

There was a larger flash, and, slowly spinning, a huge Banzai Bill was launched in the airship's direction, trailing fire behind it. Luigi instantly knew this one couldn't be dealt with by hammer. "It's-a Luigi time!" he exclaimed, leaping from the airship deck. As he flew through the open space above the streets of Neon City, Luigi felt as if he'd become one with his younger self and was once against fighting with Mario by his side. His feet crashed against the Banzai Bill's hard metal with such force it completely knocked out the missile. No sooner had his feet touched the Banzai Bill's surface, Luigi had vaulted into a backwards somersault, spinning through the air back onto the airship. His body moved as if by itself, with no direction required. All of his fighting skills were still there...he hadn't lost them!

"A...amazing..." A Toad exclaimed from the deck of the ship. "The stories...they were all true!"

Luigi smiled shyly and turned to the Toad, flashing a thumbs up. He was these people's hero, their light in the darkness. It was his duty not to let them down.

"We've got three Koopa battleships in the air!" A Fire-Flower aligned Koopa reported, running over to Koopaner. "And a squad of air troops coming right at us!"

Koopaner nodded. "Prepare to fire!" he shouted at his troops.

"I...I'll handle Roy." Luigi said, glancing back at the Koopa.

"You got it." Koopaner nodded. "We can take care of those ships."

Luigi turned away from Koopaner, before leaping onto the ship's prow. He began to run down it, picking up speed, until he leapt through the air, landing on the head of a Paratroopa. Luigi leapt from Paragoomba, to Paratroopa, trusting in his own skills. He'd done this many times before...he wasn't going to fall! Luigi bounced off a Paragoomba, launching himself into the air. Behind him, the Fire Flower fleet fired, sending bullet bills streaking towards the enemy turrets and blowing them up. Luigi landed on a Paratroopa, forcing it into it's green shell, before balancing himself on the shell as it fell towards the ground at an incredibly high speed. Luigi grabbed onto his cap as the shell fell to the ground like a meteor, the neon lights of the city flashing past him. Below him, he could see hundreds of Koopa Troop soldiers running from the castle gates at him. Luigi stretched out his arms to balance on the shell, still holding his hammer. The shell hit the ground.

The green shell skidded down the street, kicking up sparks as Luigi tilted it's body to control it. Roy's castle was directly in front of him...all he had to do was get down this street!

Luigi smacked into the first group of Koopa Troopas, scattering them. He shell-surfed in a zig-zag, dodging a flurry of hammers from a dozen Hammer Bros, knocking down Koopa after Koopa. A Paragoomba tried dive-bombing him, only for Luigi to hit it's skull with a solid whack from the hammer. Up ahead of him, a tank rumbled forward, firing Bullet Bills from it's three cannons. Luigi left into the air, abandoning the shell but using his momentum to soar over the tank just as the bullet bills smashed into the ground, blowing up the street in an explosion of flame. Luigi's feet hit the ground and he began to run. He swung his hammer left and right, whacking every Koopa who tried to get near him. His eyes were focused on the massive purple dome of the castle in front of him. He was so close...

Luigi brought his hammer down hard on a Koopatrol, knocking the armoured Koopa out cold. A gang of Koopas spun in their shells towards him, only for Luigi to clear them in a single jump. As his feet hit the asphault he leapt up again, and then a third time, going into a triple jump. It was almost as if Luigi flew over the remaining Koopa Troops. They watched with expressions of awe and terror as the green plumber soared over their heads, holding his hammer high. Luigi was done hiding. It was time for the Koopas to learn that he was back.

Luigi reached the steps leading up to the castle gate. Eight Spikes positioned at the top of the staircase hurled their spike balls, the destructive spheres bouncing down the hard stone stairs towards Luigi. Luigi leapt up, passing over the spike balls and going into a spin, knocking the spikes away as he spun like a tornado before leaping towards the massive wooden doors. Carrying the momentum of his spin into his blow, Luigi put every once it his strength into a blow against the door. The sound of the crash echoed through Neon City. Cracks appeared on the massive wooden gates before, suddenly, they exploded into tiny pieces. The entrance of Neon Castle loomed before Luigi, black and ominous.

Luigi entered the castle, walking down a long, dimly-lit hallway lined with statues of Roy. The sounds of explosions echoed outside. Luigi left the entrance hall into another hall with purple-and-black checkered flooring and a large staircase. The entire castle seemed to be lit by dim purple lights, and it seemed strangely deserted. That had to be due to Neon City being under-defended, Luigi thought. It was why they were attacking it on this day, after all.

Luigi reached the top of the staircase, and still saw nobody. The angry visage of Roy seemed to glare at him from the many pictures of the burly Koopaling that lined the halls. Luigi crept through the castle, his footsteps echoing around him. He felt extremely tense, all alone in the dark, quiet fortress.

Luigi's heart beat in his chest. As he walked through the empty halls, he thought back to Toad Town, and Cobal, and everyone who was counting on him. The Mushroom Kingdom, so long oppressed, was finally starting to regain hope. The defeat of Roy, one of the empire's most tyrannical leaders, would be a sign to the entire world that freedom was on it's way to being restored. Luigi glanced up; he was in a tall, gloomy hall held up by large pillars. At the end of the hall was a huge purple door. If he knew the Koopa family, this was it. Luigi took a deep breath. He gripped his hammer, his hands sweaty underneath his gloves. Then he walked towards the door.

The room he entered into was another large hall, this one full of empty tables. A long, purple carpet ran down the centre of the room towards a tall dais lit by pink lights. Seated upon a throne there was a massive, muscular Koopa, purple sunglasses upon his face.

"LUIGI!" Roy exclaimed as Luigi, sweat dripping from his body, ran down the carpet until he stood before the throne.

"R...roy." Luigi said, glancing up as he saw his enemy for the first time in ages. Roy Koopa had grown. He was the same size as Bowser now...probably even bigger. His hands were large enough the grab the plumber around the waste, and his scaly skin bulged with muscle.

Roy began to walk down from the dais. With every step of his feet, the room shook. "You know..." Roy chuckled. "When my minions told me you were the one leading this attack, at first I was mad."

Luigi looked at the various holes in the floor and ceiling. Yeah, he could believe that.

"But then..." Roy continued, baring his fangs in a sneer. "I realized something. If you're alive...that means I can finally beat you one last time." he stretched out his arm. There was a flash of purple light and his wand appeared in his hand...a larger wand decorated with spikes designed to fit his larger size. "I'm going to finally do something none of us managed to do. Not even Dad could kill Mario on his own. I'm gonna get the honour of ridding the world of the Mario Bros...not Dad, not Junior, not Ludwig, but ME!"

By now Roy had reached the foot of the stairs. He towered over Luigi, more then twice his height. But Luigi did not budge. Luigi looked up, meeting Roy's gaze. "Roy...you and the Koopas have oppressed the entire world." he said. "You..." he voice broke slightly. "You took Mario from me. I'm going to have to fight you, Roy."

Roy laughed, his voice echoing throughout the throne room. "You? Take on me?" Roy laughed. "Last time we fought, Luigi, I was only eighteen years old. Now, I'm even more powerful then my dad. I've dedicated my entire life to becoming the number-one toughest, burliest, completely unstoppable Koopa? What are you gonna do, little man? You gonna fix my leaks?"

Luigi leapt up, until his face was level with Roy's. Then he spun around, smacking the Koopa in the head with his hammer. The force of the blow echoed through the room.

Luigi's feet hit the floor. Roy stretched up a clawed hand a felt his face, before grinning. "Didn't feel a thing." he said smugly. "Luigi...I'm going to enjoy this."

Roy spun around, catching Luigi off guard with his massive tail. Luigi was launched into the air, nearly losing his grip on his hammer. Still grinning, Roy brought back his fist and slammed it into Luigi's chest. Luigi cried out as he felt the force of a hundred boulders slam into his chest and send him flying through a pillar into the wall. Every inch of his body felt as if it had been crushed, but Luigi forced himself to rise. Before he could make a single move, Roy slammed into him, smashing him through the wall.

Human and Koopa crashed though the side of Neon City out into the night. All around them, fires were burning as Bullet Bills flew through the air, the forces of the Koopa Empire and Fire Flower locked in battle high up in the sky. Roy landed in the street, smashing the asphalt around him. He hurled Luigi at a building, but Luigi was ready this time. He spun his body around so that he hit the wall feet-first, before wall-jumping at it directly at Roy. Roy laughed and pointed his wand at Luigi, blasting a huge purple fireball at him. Luigi moved his body to the side, letting the fireball pass by him. He felt the heat of the blast scorch on his skin. Luigi, having slightly lost momentum, skidded to the ground.

Not wasting any time, he picked up speed, dashing at the massive Koopa before him. Roy tightened his hand into a fist and swung up him, but Luigi leapt into the air, jumping off the fist and leaping towards one of the nearby walls. With a roar, Roy send a massive purple blast spiralling in Luigi's direction. Luigi had anticipated that attack, however, and wall jumped towards the opposite skyscraper. Angrily, Roy launched another magic blast, but Luigi avoided in the same way, rapidly jumping from wall to wall as Roy launched blast after blast, the purple explosions lighting up the night. Luigi watched Roy's movements as he dodged. Right when Roy finished casting a spell, Luigi focused all his strength into his feet and shot like a rocket towards Roy. Roy glanced up at his and growled before taking a deep breath.

Luigi's eyes widened...oh no, he'd forgotten that the Koopalings could do this too! Roy launched a fireball at Luigi. The humungous blast of flame caught him right into the chest, causing him to drop his hammer, and exploded. Luigi was flung into the air, pain flashing through his entire body. The explosion launched him high above the skyscrapers, where Luigi could see the battle going on in the sky. Roy leapt into the air and hit Luigi with another direct punch, knocking the wind out of his lungs. The punch launched Luigi across the city, his body flying over street after street until he finally skipped to a stop on one of the skyscraper roofs. Roy leapt down next to him, sending sharp shards of asphalts into Luigi's face.

"Did you really think you could win?" Roy laughed, kicking Luigi into the air. He cried out and struggled to maintain conciseness. "Don't you know you time is over, old man?" Roy brought his fist down, slamming into Luigi's chest. The force of the blow sent Luigi rocketing back down to the streets his body crashing into the asphalt and creating a crater. "There are no more Mario brothers!" Roy shouted as he landed next to Luigi, who's vision was fading. He couldn't think of anything, just pain. "Stop playing hero, green stache'." Roy sneered. "THIS IS THE END!" Roy picked up Luigi and hurled him with all his might. Luigi couldn't do anything to stop him. He felt his body slam into a building, the stone shattering around him. With the last bit of his pain, Luigi turned around to see Roy charging up another magic blast. The energy from the wand dyed the entire street purple as Roy focused more and more power. This blast would end the battle. It was over, Luigi thought as the pain flashed through his brain. He had failed. He had-

Then Luigi remembered Mario. He thought of all the battles his brother had fought, all of the times he'd gotten up after he'd been beaten down. He thought of Princess Daisy's smiling face, and all of those happy, peaceful days in the mushroom kingdom. Roy's wand shone in his eyes, glowing like a purple sun. No. He wouldn't just give up here!

Fighting against the pain, Luigi took a step forward. He curled his fingers into a fist. Electricity flickered around it. No...it was time to give it everything he had.

Roy let loose his blast with such force, all the windows in the nearby buildings shattered. A purple beam of energy so large it filled the street blasted at Luigi like an evil comet. Luigi put his hands together, building up electricity. It had been so long since he'd used the Thunderhand technique, but his life was depending on him putting every ounce of his energy into this. As the blast hit, Luigi summoned around himself a protective barrier of electricty. The whole world around him turned purple as he struggled against the impossible force of Roy's magic blast. His entire body seemed ready to collapse as he strained to keep the barrier up. The two powerful forces of energy ate away at the stone around Luigi, building up a crater around him. Then, there was a flash, and Roy's attack gave up.

Roy stood in the street, looking at Luigi in shock. "W...what?" he gasped.

Luigi managed a grin. He felt as if Mario, Daisy, and all of his friends, from his longtime companions like Yoshi and Toad to his lesser-known ones like his partners from the Waffle Kingdom, were fighting alongside him. "It's a go time!" he exclaimed.

Then Luigi ran at Roy, lighting trailing from his hands. Roy drew back his fist to hit him with another punch, but Luigi leapt over it, hitting Roy in the face with a lightning-powered kick. Roy screamed and went flying down the road, bouncing on the asphalt. Luigi ran after him, the sounds of explosions echoing in the background. Just as Roy recovered, Luigi built up power in his fist and hit Roy with an uppercut. There was an explosion of light the knocked out most of the neon signs nearby and launched Roy way up into the air. Luigi built up power for a super jump and leapt up to meet him, this time hitting Roy with another punch on the side of his shell that knocked him into one of the skyscrapers. The top floor of the building crumbled as Luigi landed on a skyscraper opposite it.

With a roar of extreme rage, Roy burst out of the rubble, sending a storm of magic blasts at Luigi. Luigi leapt from skyscraper to skyscraper as the magic blasts crashed into the buildings, lighting them up with purple light like touches. Roy sent a fireball spinning at Luigi, but Luigi was ready. With another super-jump he leapt high into the air, far above Roy. Roy grit his teeth and hurled his wand into the air. With a puff of smoke, it transformed into a full-sized Banzai Bill Blaster with a special grip. Roy grabbed the cannon in his hands and fired. The huge missile launched at Luigi as Luigi focused lighting energy through his feet to launch himself like a rocket at Roy. Stretching his fist out, he cleaved through the Banzai Bill, his entire body engulfed in a blue aura. For the first time that fight, Luigi saw on Roy Koopa's face an expression of fear.

Then Luigi hit Roy. He smashed into him, crashing Roy through skyscraper after skyscraper in a diagonal crash towards the ground, both Koopa and human crashing through floors like a meteour. They burst through the last skyscraper and ploughed into the road. Luigi unleashed all of his energy, shouting. There was a huge blue explosion around him.

With the light finally cleared, Luigi was standing over Roy's body in a deep crater in the centre of one of Neon City's streets. The crater was larger then the Toad Town square and had taken out huge chunks from several of the buildings around it. Luigi's vision blurred as he stared at Roy's battered body lying below him.

"I...impossible..." the Koopaling grunted weakly.

Luigi's body felt numb, like he was fighting to stop himself from passing out. "D...don't-a mess with the Mario bros..." he said, although most likely Roy did not hear him. Fires burnt around him and there was the smell of burning asphalt in the air. Above him, Luigi could here the sound of propellers.

"Great job out there, Mr. Luigi." came a voice that he recognized as Koopaner's. The fight's won. Now let's get you out of here!"

Luigi felt himself being lifted by hands and carried onto the airship. He heard the whirring of engines as the ship began to take off. He...he had actually done it. He had defeated Roy Koopa, someone who had oppressed thousands, if not millions of people, in the Sand Kingdom and beyond. He had taken out one of the empire's leaders...dealt a massive blow that even Bowser would feel! With the defeat of Roy, both sides in the Koopa Civil War would be forced to take action, and leave them both open to further attacks. This would be on the news. Everyone back home would see it. Daisy...maybe she'd know he was alive! In spite of his injuries and pain that was so great he felt as if he were going to pass out, Luigi smiled. Yes...everything was going to be all right now.

Then he heard the words that made his blood run cold.

"Drop the Nuclear Bob-omb."

* * *

Below Koopaner's airship, a secret hatch slowly moved open. A massive Bob-Omb, nearly as large as the airship itself, began to fall, it's fuse lit. It was pure black with red, emotionless eyes.

* * *

Neon City was burning. Several of the civilians had evacuated, of course, but there were still several who had yet to escape the city. Koopa Troop soldiers worked to streamline the evacuations, while other hurried their injured comrades to the healing Magikoopas. None of them were aware of what was about to happen.

It all happened very suddenly. There was a bright flash of light...and then an explosion of which the likes had never been seen before. A colossal, orange blast that seemed to light of the skies like fire and swallowing up entire skyscrapers.

* * *

At the Fire Flower main headquarters, what seemed to be the entire organization was gathered in the control room, watching the fight from the huge main screen. When the explosion happened, everybody cheered, clapping their hands as if they had witnessed some performance. Yoshi watched the all-consuming light with a hard-cold expression, the fire reflecting off his eyes.

* * *

"Impossible." Ludwig von Koopa said he he stood in his main control room, a huge chamber with multiple levels designed like a ballroom but filled with more advanced technology then nearly any other room in the world. He stood on his observation balcony with his arms crossed, watching the massive holographic screen showing the explosion. His technicians had stopped what they were doing, to gaze at the sight in horror. Ludwig gave a brief glance at Larry. Larry nodded; he understood what to do.

* * *

Bowser Jr stood with his siblings Morton, Iggy, and Lemmy, along with Grand General Shelldon and the rest of High Command, in the High Command council room. They watched the holographic feed with wide eyes. The room was in silence...everyone was lost for words.

* * *

Emperor Bowser slouched on his throne, his eyes barely open as he watched the massive explosion in Neon City continue to grow. "Whatever." he sighed apathetically.

* * *

In a place hidden far away from the rest of the Mushroom World, several people sat around a table in an oval-shaped room in which the walls were made up dozens of screens. Each of those screens showed the explosion, which caused the room to be bathed in a bright orange light. The light illuminated the crest on the table's centre...six stars of different colours with one larger, orange star suspended above them. At the head of the table, a man seated on an ornate chair smiled.

* * *

The heat was unbearable as Roy crawled out of the crater. The Koopaling knew that several of his bones were broken...but what was worse was his pride. Beaten by Luigi, after all the training he had done? Impossible!

Roy reached the top of the crater. The massive explosion continued to expand, eating up skyscraper after skyscraper. It expanded with frightening speed. In a minute it would be upon him. "N...no!" Roy shouted out loud. The palm trees that lined the street burst into flame. "I won't die hear!" he screamed. "Not here!"

"Need a hand?" came a familiar voice behind him.

Roy frantically turned around to see Larry, standing on the other side of a glowing blue portal. Roy's heart sunk when he realized what situation he was in. Either he had to live his entire life owing a debt to Larry or he'd die right here, right now, humiliated.

"Fine!" Roy exclaimed, diving headlong into the portal, which closed not a moment too soon. The light washed over the street, vaporizing it.

* * *

It all happened in less then three minutes. Neon City, the jewel of the Koopa Empire, was gone. All that remained in it's place was a massive crater and a tall, mushroom-shaped cloud that loomed above the desert, like a tombstone for the lives, hopes, and dreams that had been lost.


	33. Dark Dealings

**Chapter Thirty-Three: Dark Dealings**

 _Thank you so much for 200 reviews! Thanks to your support, Fallen Kingdom has managed to become one of the most popular new fanfictions on the website. Your reviews are so encouraging to me as a writer and I enjoying seeing your thoughts about all the new twists and turns. Please keep on enjoying this story; I've got the entire thing planned out, so it's not like I'm going to leave you hanging! I'm thankful for all the positive feedback. Enjoy!_

"You are pathetic." Ludwig von Koopa hissed as he magically suspended Roy high in the air, so that the spikes on his shell grazed the vaulted ceiling. He clenched his fist, causing Roy to cry out in pain. All of the officers who had gathered in the room looked around nervously, while Larry snickered. "You know, I thought when we joined forces, you would be a useful ally." Ludwig mused, pacing back and forth on the blue carpet. "But no. You allowed yourself to be humiliated, crushed by a second-rate hero who shouldn't even be alive. My disappointment, Roy, is infinite."

Ludwig released his magical hold on Roy, causing the huge Koopa to fall from the ceiling and crash into the ground, cracking the tiles around him. "I am going to have to take a more direct role in this." Ludwig continued speaking to himself, walking through a huge door into his vast control room. The officers and Larry followed him, while Roy continued lying on the floor. Ludwig reached his observation balcony and stared out at the huge hologram of the world, which was surrounded by several levels of balconies full of control consoles. He crossed his arms as he stared at the map, gazing at the territories that were under his control. The Sand Kingdom was lost now; if they moved fast they could reclaim some of it, but it was highly likely that it would be split up between the Neo Empire and the Bowser loyalists. Effectively, Sector Four no longer existed.

"So what's the plan now, Ludwig?" Larry came up to him, placing his hands on the golden railing. "We gonna punish Fire Flower, or keep on fighting Dad?"

Ludwig stroked his chin. Fire Flower had always been little more then a nuisance, but now that Luigi was back, things could get a bit more difficult. While he hated to admit that Luigi, who had always been the weaker brother, was making him nervous, it was best to take him into consideration. He was not Roy. Unlike his brother, who arrogantly trusted in his immense physical strength, Ludwig had trained every day, learning the most complicated spells in his vast library. He had trained physically too, honing his large body so that he could match even Morton in hand-to-hand combat. In addition to that, he would not allow any of his strongholds to be taken off-guard like Neon City had. All he had to do was play his cards right. Even one of the Mario brothers would have difficulty dismantling everything he had worked towards.

"We leave Fire Flower and Luigi alone...for now." Ludwig replied, turning to Larry. "If we moved to deal with them, our more crucial enemies could strike us when we are not prepared. We will move for an alliance with Wendy. Her army will provide extra manpower. And, of course, Larry, your spies will be critical for our next move."

Larry grinned. "Awe, I was hoping you'd say that, big bro!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Just wait 'till you see it, Larry! These guys I've been training...they're nearly as clever as I am when it comes to that kind of stuff!"

"Good." Ludwig nodded. "I want eyes and ears in every castle, every battleship that still swears alliance to our father."

He looked back at the huge globe, it's blue light shining over the command centre, which was still decorated with the ornate, classical style that Ludwig had used throughout his palace in the Wooded Kingdom mountains. His troops were slowly pushing into Sarasaland and the Northern Kremisphere. Once reinforcements consisting of his new Airship Mk IIIs and mass-produced Koopa War Armour arrived, they would fall to him. Sector Six, Lemmy's territory, was halfway under his control. The poor little brother of his had never been much of a fighter. His territories would be the first to pass to Neo Empire control.

"Prince Ludwig!" came a voice from behind him. Ludwig turned to see Krezena walking towards him, an impatient look on her wrinkled face. He involuntarily scowled; he was not in the mood to worry about his deals with Seven Stars at the moment.

"Ah, Krezena, my shining Yellow Star." Ludwig drawled half-heartedly. "What business would you like to discuss today?"

"No business at all, Prince Ludwig." Krezena replied. "The Purple Star is nearly at your palace. If you do not greet him, it would reflect very poorly on our relationship."

"Yes, yes, of course." Ludwig sighed, following Krezena out of the control room. As he walked down the tall, cold, gloomy halls of his palace, he thought with frustration about just how annoying this partnership was going to get. He did not quite care about meeting Krezena's superior, the Purple Star. He, in fact, did not quite care about speaking with Krezena anymore, either. First chance he'd get, he would announce that the partnership was over. However, now was not the time. He could still benefit from his partnership, and, with the loss of Neon City, he could very well need some new resources to compensate for the heavy blow against his organization.

Two Koopatrols were holding the huge door to the palace open in the entrance hall. There was the blizzard outside, Ludwig noticed, and the snow was falling so thick he could scarcely see out of the doorway. Wind whistled outside, blowing at the flames on the chandelier and making Ludiwg shudder. Faintly, through the white mist of snow, Ludwig could see a figure approaching.

He was alone, unlike Krezena had been when she had first came to the palace. Ludwig was not quite sure how he had reached it, since he had not heard the sound of any aircraft approaching. The figure was a Koopa, who was dressed in a pure white suit and wore a white fedora with a purple band. The Koopa stepped through the doorway, took off his hat, shook off the wet droplets of melted snow, and placed it back onto his head.

"Hello, Ludwig." he said. "I am Skallz Fortiscule, the Purple Star."

There was something in Skallz' blue eyes that Ludwig did not like. He was different from Krezena, who viewed everything with a sort of arrogant entitlement. There was no insecurity at all in Skallz's expression, just complete confidence. This Koopa wasn't the kind of person who'd act like the world belonged to him...he was the sort who acted the way he did because he _knew_ the world belonged to him. He did not seem intimidated or impressed by the slightest by the fact the he was in the presence of the most powerful Koopaling, the Koopa who had raised a war that threatened Emperor Bowser himself. Ludwig instantly hated him even more then Krezena.

"A pleasure to meet you, Purple Star." Ludwig said with false politeness, extending his hand to Skallz. Skallz took Ludwig's claw in his much smaller hand and shook it.

"We have been watching your progress with some interest, Ludwig von Koopa." he said with a slight smile. "My consolations on the loss of Neon City. It was a tragedy."

"Think nothing of that." Ludwig smiled, as if it really meant that little to him. "The Neo Empire is still strong. Thanks to your group's generous contributions, the new weapons I have built are sure to lend us the victory over my father."

Skallz nodded. "If only I could see them." he said. "Unfortunately, I'm more here to speak to the Yellow Star here. Lady Krezena, would you..." he gestured for Krezena to follow him down a side corridor.

"I will escort you to my apartment, Purple Star." Krezena said, completely forgetting about Ludwig. "We can talk in private there."

Ludwig watched them leave, giving them a dark look. So he didn't even care about him? Ludwig shook his hand and walked back up the staircase away from the entrance hall. The two Koopatrols shut the door behind him. So Seven Stars thought his palace was all right to use for a private meeting, did they? Well he wouldn't stand for that. Naturally he wasn't going to raise a fuss at the moment, but he was already formulating his plans to get rid of Krezena. He'd milk Seven Stars for all it was worth, and then he'd promptly dump her out of the palace. It was time to turn his mind to more important things. The plan he had thought up that involved Larry's spies...it was going to destroy all of his sibling's armies. He would seize the rest of the empire in one stroke.

* * *

Krezena closed the door to her private apartment and locked it. The apartment was a comfortable, luxurious room, the walls a deep royal blue. There was fire burning in the marble fireplace, and placed before it were two blue couches with gold armrests. Skallz stood near one of the long windows near the bed, looking out into the snow.

"You ought to now, Krezena, that the Silver Star's ship was attacked yesterday." he said calmly.

Krezena started. "That fool!" she hissed. "Sthnadlash was always careless. He was dealing with the Goombinos, wasn't he? Those second-rate criminals should not be allowed to touch us."

"It wasn't the Goombinos." Skallz replied, shaking his head. He crossed his arms, still looking out into the whiteness outside of the window. The fire crackled in the room. "It was a group of figures, each one completely different. King K Rool of the Kremlings, who we believed was no longer a major player on any stage. Prince Peasley of the Beanbean Kingdom, who we believed died with his mother when the kingdom was destroyed. A Fire Bro and a Yoshi, who are complete unknowns. Somehow, they were able to hold their own against Sthnadlash despite the years of training he has underwent."

Krezena tightened her grip on her wand. She had never liked Sthnadlash; the black Kremling had always seemed to have an unjustifiably high opinion of himself. He was weaker then she was, and much weaker then Skallz. But at the same time, the idea that a group composed of unknowns and has-beens had been strong enough to match him in combat was troublesome.

"I want you to keep an eye on Ludwig." Skallz said, his eyes still on the snow outside the window. "Inform me of any changes to his strategy. Everything must stay on track."

"I understand, Purple Star." Krezena nodded. "What about the newcomers? Should I-"

"I'll deal with them." Skallz responded calmly. "The idea that Luigi is still alive, and the idea that there could be people this strong who are unaccounted for, is something we did not anticipate. If they are powerful enough to derail our plans, I am going to have to inform the Grand Star about this."

"I see." Krezena nodded. She was unnerved by this news, but calmed herself as she looked at Skallz. The Koopa was cold and stoic like a statue, staring out at the snow. Seven Stars could not be harmed be some simple, altruistic would-be heroes looking for a change in the order of things. It could be inconvenienced, set back even, but it would endure. Throughout all the conflicts of the Mushroom World...the Shroob Invasion, the conflicts between Mario and Bowser, and the rise of the Koopa Empire, it had been in the shadows, waiting, working in secret, and moving towards their final, ultimate goal. She knew nothing could halt it now that it had began to move. She almost felt pity for these people who had tried to go against the Silver Star. Sthnadlash was one thing; an arrogant, egotistical reptile who enjoyed the wealth and power being a member of the Board of Directors allowed. Skallz Fortiscule, one of the three pillars of Seven Stars, a Koopa who had played with the course of history, was something else entirely.


	34. Preparations

**Chapter Thirty-Four: Preparations**

It was early in the morning. Cobal had slept little after the frightening battle with the Silver Star. The cabins of the Flying Krock were small and uncomfortable, and, like the rest of the ship, smelled of a mixture of wet, rusty metal and gasoline. Stoneshell Prison...the thought continued to run through his head as he struggled to get to sleep on his hard bunk, the sounds of the aircraft's old machinery clattering around him as the ship hovered in place over the ocean.

This was a discovery beyond discoveries, Cobal thought as he lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling in the cabin's near-total darkness. When the Mushroom Kingdom fell, many of it's heroes were captured at the Battle of Toad Town. The ones who escaped attempted to stage a final stand at Mushroom City...which turned into a month-long siege which ended in a victory for the Koopas. Even over a dozen hardened fighters and a healthy amount of willing, dedicated civilians could not hold out against the full might of the Koopa army. The stars must have smiled upon the heroes, though, since the one who was in charge of decided their fate was Bowser Jr. Cobal had heard it said that Emperor Bowser's heir, while spoiled and mischievous (at least when he'd been young), was not cruel. Rather then execute the kingdom's greatest enemies, he had them transferred to a secure location where they were to be imprisoned for life. Presumably this had been the dungeons of Bowser's Castle, but some time later this location had changed. According to Toadbert, a propaganda video put out a few years after the Koopas achieved complete world domination revealed that the heroes were now being held in Stoneshell Prison, a maximum-security prison that had been designed by Ludwig von Koopa himself.

Cobal knew the names of the heroes by heart. There was Captain Toad, Toadette's love, Goombario, the walking encyclopedia, Dreamburt, ancient prince of a lost people, Parakarry, the postman-turned-fighter...and of course, who could forget the Great Gonzales Jr.

Cobal had never met his father. Toadbert had a few pictures of him. He was a Yoshi with pink skin, and by the look on his face he was even more of a rebel then Cobal himself had ever been. The picture Cobal liked the most had shown his father standing on a stage with a triumphant, proud, and cocky grin on his face, hoisting up a large belt decorated with a huge orange star to the enjoyment of a crowd that packed the stadium. It was a picture of Gonzales after he had finished his legendary battle with Rawk Hawk for the championship. After he had won the title, Gonzales was said of have never lost a match. The training he had received when adventuring with Mario had put him way above the other fighters' levels. Cobal had tried many times to find videos of that match...or even a minute-long interview, anything would suffice. Unfortunately, the internet was extremely restricted under imperial rule. As he was a former ally of Mario, the empire had seemed it fit to try to erase him from existence. Cobal's father's internet presence amounted to a short Koopapedia article listing him as;

"An ally of Mario. The Great Gonzales Jr was a terrorist who opposed Emperor Bowser and his children. He killed several Koopas during the war against the oppressive Mushroom Kingdom. After his defeat by the Crown Prince Bowser Jr, he was sent to Stoneshell Prison and is currently serving a life sentence."

Cobal, of course, did not take the article's words to heart. While he supposed that his father could have killed some Koopas, it would've only been in the heat of battle, fighting in a desperate war to preserve the freedom of the mushroom people. Toadbert had never known Gonzales personally, but he had known people who had, and they had said that while the Yoshi had been tough on the inside, he'd been sweet, kind, a friendly deep down. Terrorist, indeed. The thought that Cobal could, in fact, meet his father face to face oddly made him feel more nervous then exited.

When it was finally mourning, Cobal made his way to the bridge. Everyone else was already there. The ocean spilled out before them, like a huge blue mirror. It was completely smooth and empty, with not even the slightest island on the horizon interrupting the endless blue.

"Uh, I don't know, boss, I think we're in the middle of nowhere." General Klump said dumbly, scratching at his head.

"Yeah, it's like, just water, and water, and more water." Krusha agreed.

"That computer had no reason to lie." Cobal said, stepping to the front of the bridge. "The tech was so advanced, it's stupid to assume it was glitched, and let's get real; no matter how strong that black Kremling was, there was no way he could've predicted we'd come. They didn't plant the map for us to find it."

"Cobal's right." Strike nodded.

"It's at least worth a check." Peasley compromised.

"Well, if nothing's there, you're paying for gas." K Rool said, before yawning, showing on his yellow, pointed teeth.

The Flying Krock continued over the calm ocean, it's machinery rattling. "Best put on that cloaking device, just in case." Strike urged, looking over Krusha's shoulder at his console. "If Stoneshell Prison is nearby, we don't want to show up on their radar."

"Oof, I hate Bullet Bills." Krusha agreed, flipping on the switch.

"I daresay," Peasley said, taking a few steps to K Rool. "That cloaking device is a brilliant invention. How did you come to have it, when you're so...if you would allow me...impoverished?"

"Ah, it was nothing." K Rool said, brushing it off. "Something from happier days, bean man. Some old robot man named Grodus was selling off a bunch of old tech; supposedly he was a big-shot villain who wanted to retire. Got mixed up with Mario and ancient shadow demons and whatnot, decided world domination just wasn't worth it. Used half o' my treasury." he said proudly, before his face fell. "Of course, maybe that was why the Koopas crushed us so easily...we didn't have enough coins to buy the cannonballs for our cannons."

Cobal had not been listening to the conversation too closely. He was paying attention to the simple radar map on the Flying Krock's dashboard. Supposedly Stoneshell Prison was, if you were to think of Isle Delphino, Kitchen Island, and Egg Island as a triangle, in the direct centre of this triangle. They were approaching this spot now.

"Uh, guys?" said Klump, pointing at a black speck on the horizon. "We're comin' up on something, and it looks big."

"By the Bananna Hoard, the boy was right." K Rool hissed, before turning to Cobal, his right eye bulging. "Now, tell me, yoshi kid..." he said, jabbing a claw at Cobal's face, "How exactly do you intend to do anything about a maximum-security Koopa Empire prison? You already put the Flying Krock in danger last night...I'm far too attached to this wreck to fly it into a storm of Banzai Bills!"

"K Rool." Strike said, crossing his arms. K Rool turned away from Cobal and looked back at him. "Cobal doesn't have a plan." he said calmly. "I do."

Cobal looked away from them and through the huge front window...there was a fortress approaching, although he couldn't make out any details yet. His heart began to beat. The most important thing that had happened to him since Luigi had recruited him could very well happen today.

* * *

Luigi walked down the corridor in the Fire Flower base, his eyes hard. He barely saw the stone walls around him or the celebrating people that followed him to the main command room. The terrifying image of the cataclysmic explosion was fixed in his mind, the deafening noise still echoing through his ears.

How had Yoshi done this? He'd been kind and gentle...his oldest friend, who had helped save him from Kamek when he hadn't even been old enough to walk! He'd led a peaceful life on his island, keeping the peace and eating fruits with his friends. Maybe this wasn't Yoshi, Luigi tried to convince himself. Maybe it was another green-skinned member of the species, impersonating him! Or what if it was a Duplighost, manipulating the people of Fire Flower for some hidden scheme? Luigi's footsteps echoed through the hallway. He reached the entrance to the command chamber.

Luigi flung the door open wide, the orange light from the huge Fire Flower symbol on the main screen spilling out onto him. A deafening cheer rose up from the people inside.

"Wow, you really are a hero, Luigi!"

"You beat that Koopa good!"

"The Sand Kingdom is free, Luigi! I'm so happy I could cry!"

It was like the cheers were not there. Luigi scarcely heard them as he walked between the desks to Yoshi, standing proudly in the centre of the room, the purple-robed, green-capped Toad who he remembered was named Toadificus at his side.

"Luigi!" Yoshi exclaimed. "I...I don't know what to say! Operation Broken Sunglasses was a complete success! We've dealt the empire the biggest blow yet! If Mario could see you now-"

"Stop." Luigi said. He was surprised as the word came from his mouth; it felt unusually cold for him. Luigi blinked, looking at Yoshi with tears in his eyes. "Y...Yoshi." he said, taking a few steps forward on shaking feet. The members of Fire Flower watched him, in confusion. "What...what was that?"

Yoshi gave a deep sigh. He sounded tired. "Luigi...I know what you're thinking." Yoshi said sadly. "But we had to do it. Roy was evil. If we hadn't have stopped him here, he would've destroyed hundreds of more lives in his and Ludwig's Neo Empire campaign."

Yoshi looked up at Luigi. The orange light shone on his long, red scar. Luigi and Yoshi stood looking at each other for a long time.

"No." Luigi said finally, his voice shaking with emotion. "It...it wasn't right, Yoshi. There were innocent people there! Even if they were part of the empire, they had lives! Just because Roy hurt people doesn't mean they did."

"I know." Yoshi replied coldly. "Understand this, Luigi. I might not look like it, but I'm getting on in years. I was fighting the Koopa Troop before you could walk and talk." his eyes were cold and hard, and Luigi couldn't help think just how different they were from the eyes of the Yoshi he remembered. "I was optimistic, peaceful, and merciful. I tried not to kill anybody, even in the heat of battle, just like you two. But then the Koopas killed Mario, and they took over the kingdom. And then I realized that this was our fault. We had hundreds, if not thousands of chances to end things. We could've finished Bowser years ago." his face became emotional as he took a few steps forward, placing a green hand on Yoshi's shoulder. "Think about it, Luigi! If we had just taken the next step and dealt with Bowser, and all his brats, Mario and the princess could've settled down! You could've settled down...you and Princess Daisy, Luigi! Everyone would be a peace, and there would be none of this empire nightmare, none-"

"This isn't the right way." Luigi shook his head. He turned away from Yoshi, wiping away tears from his face. "Not even...not even Bowser did something like this, at least back before he went crazy! If we act like this, Yoshi...how are we better then they are? If we wanted to make sure Roy couldn't come back, couldn't we have taken him prisoner?" his voice started to break as he turned back and looked at Yoshi. The tears were falling freely now, and Luigi whole world seemed to be collapsing. "Even if...even if we had to kill Roy, Yoshi...we can't punish his people for his crimes! There were families there, people like you, or me, or Mario!"

"Mario failed the world." Yoshi said cooly. "We can't be like him if we want to save it. I'm going to kill Bowser and all his brats and make them pay for what they did with this world. And if innocent people get caught in the way, Koopas or Toads or whatever...their lives are a sacrifice worth making. With Neon City destroyed, there is no possible way the Koopa Empire can regain their hold on Sector Four, not with all this chaos."

"I wish Mario was hear!" Luigi yelled, tightening his fists as he stared hard at Yoshi. The Fire Flower members looked at each other, nervously. "Maybe if he was with me...him and the princess...we could open your eyes!"

With that, Luigi turned, feeling the eyes of Fire Flower trained on him. "Get me out of here." he said weakly.

"Transport Luigi back to the Mushroom Kingdom." Yoshi ordered, sounding tired once again. "We shouldn't hold him hostage."

The Mushroom Kingdom...yes, Luigi thought...that was where the _real_ people who would bring down the Koopa Empire were. His new resistance, the Toad Brigade...even Wario and Waluigi. But the thought of how far Yoshi had fallen, how they might never be reconciled, continued to beat at him as he was led to the airship, worse than a hundred Thwomps.

* * *

Koopa High Command sat around their table, their faces tense. They knew little of what to think about the destruction of Neon City; it was good that one of the Neo Empire's power bases had been destroyed, but the idea that Fire Flower had such a powerful weapon in their possession was frightening. On the balcony above the council table where the nine thrones stood, four of them were filled. Bowser Jr, seated at the right hand of the huge, spiked throne that was reserved for the emperor, spoke up.

"All right." he said, glancing at the holographic images hovering above the council table. They showed a massive crater in the desert, strewn with debris. "This is the first time we've all met together since Ludwig, Larry, and Roy started all of this. I'm worried that if this war continues, thing could get much worse."

All of the generals at the table nodded.

"Yeah...I'm really worried, Junior." Morton spoke up from his throne, which was silver with a red cushion. The large Koopa's face, despite it's fearsome appearance, was creased with worry and even a bit of fear. "My army is being pushed back! We're givin' it all we got, but..." he shook his head. "It's just too much."

"Plus, Ludwig's new weapons are really something." Iggy spoke up, nervously adjusting his glasses. "The technology on them is insane. They can cut through my warships like they're nothing! Because Ludwig's been so withdrawn the last few years, his private army is way more advanced then ours...even if we've got more troops and more funding. In short...I'm not sure if we can win this."

"They're nearly at my capital!" Lemmy agreed. Even though he had the build of a mature Koopa now, he was still tiny in comparison to his siblings. "I'm thinking about leaving my castle and staying here at the Citadel...Sector Six is finished!"

"Let's not give up yet!" Bowser Jr shouted, standing up and looking over the council table below him. He had to admit that Ludwig's plans were making him nervous. The idea that he and his siblings could lose everything to the Neo Empire was a frightening thought. But Bowser Jr knew he had to put up a brave face. He was the heir to the Koopa throne. One day, he would lead his people. "We're the Koopa Troop! We've survived the Shroob Invasion, abductions by crazed counts and deranged Beanish scientists...even Mario himself! Let's not let Ludwig think we're scared. They'll be weak now, now that Neon City has been destroyed!"

Grand General Shelldon looked up from his seat at the head of the table. "If you wish, Prince Bowser Jr, I can gather our forces together and mount a full-scale assault. We can take out Ludwig's Mountain Palace and Larry's Hooktail Castle out in one fell swoop. That will effectively end the war, my lord."

"Good." Bowser Jr nodded, sitting back down on the throne. He didn't like this at all. Ludwig had always been arrogant, but there had been times in their youth where they had really, truly loved each other as they schemed against the Mario Brothers. If he had any choice in the matter, he and Ludwig would be working together to bring the Koopa Empire to the next level. He could only hope that this one next manoeuvre, a strike with a fleet composed of his, Iggy's, Mortons, and Lemmy's fleets, would end the war. Perhaps his devotion to the empire's safety could finally reawaken his father's spirit. If only it was that easy, Bowser Jr reflected morosely.

* * *

Ludwig von Koopa sat on his golden throne, looking down at the newcomer in his throne hall. The hall was decorated in an ornate way like the rest of the palace, with dark blue carpet and blue drapes. Massive golden chandeliers with flickering candles hung from the vaulted ceiling, and, behind Ludwig's throne was a excellently-painted portrait of himself. On either side of Roy were Larry, and a very disgruntled-looking Roy.

Ludwig was looking down from his dais at the female Koopa who was standing before his throne. Wendy O Koopa had grown taller, but her body had a more thin, feminine shape compared to the stocky male Koopalings. She had as little hair as ever, although, Ludwig noted with some contempt, her bow seemed to be twice as big.

"Thank you for joining us, dear sister." Ludwig smiled. "You have made the right decision."

Wendy smirked. "Thanks, Ludwig." she said. "You _are_ going to give me the best room in the palace while I stay here, right?"

"Naturally." Ludwig replied. "In fact, I've even given the chefs an order to prepare a feast in your honour."

"Excellent!" Wendy laughed. "See...Junior would never do something like this, and daddy just doesn't pay attention to me any more. Knock em' back in line for me!" she ordered in her typical snobbish, demanding tone.

Ludwig smiled. His sister was so stupid. She could be satisfied by nearly any shallow pastime. As long as he indulged her, he'd have access to all of her armies. That, combined with his Airship Mk. IIIs, of which mass-production had already began, could be the vital thing which could push his father's armies to the limit. Yes, everything was going perfectly.

Ludwig rose from his throne and walked down the short flight of stairs, his cape flowing behind him. "I trust you'll enjoy your stay." he said to Wendy as he passed her.

"Remember, I like my lobster with crushed Fire Flowers." Wendy replied, apparantly caring more about the potential banquet then the military opportunities she had granted the Neo Empire. With these boosts, there was no possible way he could benefit any more from his unpleasant partnership with Seven Stars.

"Oh, Larry?" he asked, turning around to look at his younger brother.

"Yeah, bro?" Larry asked.

Ludwig's face curved in a cruel smile. "Tell the Lady Krezena that she is no longer welcome here. I don't approve of her using my palace for her private meetings and I think her organization has outgrown it's usefulness."

Larry chuckled. "Can't object to that!" he said cheerfully.

Ludwig turned and began to walk out of his throne room. Larry's spies were in place. Everything was going according to plan. Soon, the Koopa Empire would fall.


	35. Escape from Stoneshell Prison

**Chapter Thirty-Five: Escape from Stoneshell Prison**

 _Sorry for the late chapter! I'd like to thank lalalei for creating a Fallen Kingdom Tv Tropes page, and also adding examples from the story in a couple categories on the site. I happy so many people are enjoying this! I have a lot of stuff going on like work which means that I haven't been updating as much as I'd like, but I'm committed to finishing this and I don't plan to disappoint!_

Stoneshell Prison loomed before Cobal as he stepped out of the Flying Krock, it's towering walls seeming to stretch up to the sky. He could see Koopa Troops patrolling on turrets, Bill Blasters freshly polished and shining in the sun, and black imperial flags flapping in the wind. All around them, the ocean sparkled in the sun, it's waves crashing against the fortresses stone foundation.

The Flying Krock had landed on the large flat platform before the fortress' entrance, which was presumably intended for the ships of visiting officers. Naturally, a large delegation had assembled at the main entrance as soon as the Kremling aircraft had first appeared, loads of Koopas, Goombas, Shy Guys and the like. Strike led the group, with Prince Peasley, King K Rool, Klump, and Krusha walked between him and Cobal, their heads hung low and defeated-looking expressions on their faces. Cobal was quite thankful Strike had invited himself into Cobal's revolutionary schemes now; without a Koopa Troop officer, there was no way this plan could work.

The head of the group of Koopa Troop members in front of the main entrance, a Hammer Bro with a bristling brown moustache, took a few steps forward and looked the Kremlings and the Beanish prince over.

"King K Rool and Prince Peasley? This is quite the catch." he said appreciatively. "Sir, why were we not informed they were to be transferred here, beforehand?"

"My superiors are busy fighting the war." Strike replied cooly. "They don't have time to deal with things like that. I'm just doing my duty getting these has-beens out of the way so they don't impact our empire's plans for victory."

"A noble cause, to be sure." the moustached Hammer Bro nodded. "Colonel Kooperin, at your service." He gave a short bow, before gesturing Strike to come in inside. "Please do enter. We have cells for all these four. You can be certain they will never trouble our empire again."

"Thank you, sir." Strike replied calmly, giving Kooperin a crisp salute. He then began to walk towards the huge doorway, Cobal following with the "prisoners". As he walked through the group of assembled Koopa Troop members, he felt a strange admiration for Strike. The guy had confidence. He seemed perfectly at ease, even though he was walking right into one of the empire's most secure fortresses. That was something most would struggle with.

The interior of Stoneshell Prison was built of brown stone, and it was full of so many twisting corridors Cobal began to worry he'd get lost. The rooms he glanced into all seemed to be weapons rooms or barracks; there were no signs of the actual prisons. They passed through an open door made of solid iron, and then another, until Cobal was sure they were at the heart of the fortress.

The first cell Cobal saw contained a large, muscular ape with brown fur, who glowered at the passing guards. Cobal looked it him with wide eyes. Could it be the legendary friend of Mario's...Donkey Kong? If the look in King K Rool's face was any indication...yeah, it was.

The heart of Stoneshell Prison was a long hallway lined with cells, and in each cell, Cobal saw a different person, who looked at him with suspicious eyes. A pink Goomba with a pith helmet...a red-capped Toad with a light strapped to his mushroom cap...a blue-shelled Paratroopa with a old-fashioned flight cap...Cobal knew he was in the presence of some of the most famous heroes in the world, people who had fought alongside Mario himself!

"It's been a while since we've got some new prisoners." Kooperin said casually as he continued walking down the cells, not even glancing at the imprisoned heroes. "Thankfully, it doesn't look like it'll be too hard to break those ones' spirits."

"You don't need to worry at all, Colonel." Strike nodded. "These four will give you no problem." Strike turned around and walked to Cobal, Kooperin glancing on him. "Cobal, fetch the Chuckola Cola from the ship. We need to celebrate." as he said it, he glanced at one of the cells. Whatever Strike had in mind, it had nothing to do with Chuckola Cola. Cobal nodded, turned around, and walked away. The delegation of Koopa Troops continued to walk down the hallway. Cobal waited until their footsteps faded away. Then he turned to look at the cells.

The cell directly before Cobal was identical to all the others, a hard steel door with a small window on the top looking into a claustrophobic and scarcely-furnished cell. Seated on the hard bed, Cobal could see a pink-skinned Yoshi, sitting still and looking at the ground.

The cell door appeared formidable, but Cobal had a hunch that it was designed to be impossible to break out of...not break _in_ to. Once he was certain that there were no Koopas nearby, he focused all of his power and smashed into the electronic lock. It shattered, the door springing open. Instantly, the pink Yoshi looked up. He seemed completely alert, even though he'd seemed broken a second ago.

"Wait...what?" he exclaimed.

"Hey." said Cobal.

"Hey." said the Pink Yoshi. He glanced at the door. "What's all this 'bout? Last time I checked, those creeps wanted to keep me locked up."

"Well, I'm not one of "those creeps." Cobal grinned. "In fact, I'd quite like for you to be free, if you'd ask me."

The Yoshi stood up. "Is is a breakout?" he asked.

"It is if we make it one." Cobal replied.

The pink Yoshi, very suddenly, laughed. "Kid, I like your spirit." he exclaimed. "The name's Great Gonzales, Junior, ex-champion of the Glitz Pit, ex-partner of the great Mario. What's your story?"

Cobal was suddenly overcome with emotion. The Great Gonzales Jr? This Yoshi was his father? Cobal's heart began to beat, and he felt his eyes grow wet. Emotions that he tried to keep bottled up came flooding to the service.

"Uh...my name is Cobal, and I..."

"Cobal!" Gonzales suddenly exclaimed, his voice breaking. "I...I had a son named Cobal...he was blue just like you, the same colour as my Catherine..."

Cobal suddenly embraced Gonzales, much to the older Yoshi's shock. "Dad..." he exclaimed, letting all his emotions out at once... "I always wanted to meet you...I even tried to find videos of your fights, but there's none of it, the Empire censored it all..."

"Ah, that's because the new Glitz Pit fighters are trash." Gonzales said casually. "They let me watch a couple of the fights here...nobody's got any talent. They ain't Rawk Hawk, I'll tell you that much!"

"Look...d...dad..." Cobal said, still scarcely believing that he was in the same room as his father. "I'm trying to break everyone out of here. Luigi's alive and we're working to take down the Empire!"

Gonzales stepped away from Cobal, a cocky smile on his face. "You know, kid, I'd love to learn what you've been up to all these years. The thought of you was what kept me going trapped up in this cell...it really did. But that ain't time for that. Nah...kid, I wanna bring the Underwhere itself to this prison, and every stinking minion who works in it!"

"Then let's do it." Cobal said, turning around. "We've got more prisoners to free.

Gonzales ran into the corridor. "Feels great to stretch these legs again!" he exclaimed. "Nice shades, by the way." he said as he looked at Cobal's sunglasses. "Great to know my son has taste!"

For the next few minutes, Cobal and Gonzales worked together, smashing the locks and opening the doors. The prisoners came out, wide-eyed.

"Dudes...like...are we free?" Funky Kong exclaimed, looking around in confusion.

"What does it look like, you dummy!" Goombella shouted, jumping up and down.

"We're not free yet." Captain Toad said, scowling. "Just because we're out of our cells doesn't mean they can't put us back in!"

"Well, this old sea dog's hand enough of captivity!" Admiral Bobbery exclaimed, his moustache bristling. "I saw we bust out."

"I second that!" Goombario exclaimed.

Cobal looked at the assembled people; over a dozen heroes, each one a seasoned fighter and a former ally of Mario's. If they could get out of this prison, they'd help build Luigi's ranks more then a thousand extra fighters. But...could they?

"W...what is this?"

Cobal said Colonel Kooperin and Strike stepping into the hallway. Kooperin's eyes were wide and he had the look of someone who was witnessing all of his nightmares come to life.

"This?" said Strike, grabbing the Hammer Bro's arm. "This is the world's future."

He grabbed Kooperin and hurled him against the wall. The colonel hit it head-first, his helmet failing to protect him. He fell to the ground, motionless. King K Rool, Peasley, and the other Kremlings came running up behind them. "All right, let's bust outta here!" K Rool shouted.

"Yeah, what are we waiting for?" the blue-shelled Koopa who Cobal knew was named Kooper exclaimed. "I don't want to spend another second in this stinking prison."

Alarms began to blare as they rushed through the halls of Stoneshell Prison. Evidently even though Colonel Kooperin was taken care of, through the various security cameras their escape had been discovered.

"Stop them!" echoed voices throughout the various hallways surrounded them as Cobal rushed forward, caught up in the path of colourful figures.

"Let's get this party started!" Donkey Kong exclaimed.

A squad ran at them from the right, only to be swept away by Donkey Kong's massive fist. Cobal heard footsteps behind them and saw a huge gang of Koopa troops running at them, sizzling Bob-ombs, Hammer Bros ready to hurl their weapons, and Goombas charging forward as fast as their little legs could carry them. "Gimme a hand here!" he shouted, sticking out his tongue to lick up the foremost Koopa before transforming him into an egg which he sent flying at a Boomerang Bro. "On it!" Kooper shouted, going into his shell and shooting at them, scattering them.

"Hey, slow down!" Captain Toad yelled. "I have Toadsworth here...he can barely walk!"

Cobal looked at the Toad, supporting another Toad with a brown cape and a white beard.

"We will try, but the enemy assails us from every angle!" Peasley exclaimed, using his rapier to fend off a Paragoomba.

"We gotta get back to the Flyin' Krock!" K Rool shouted as he punched a dive-bombing Paratroopa out of the sky.

"Let me clear the way!" Bobbery exclaimed, before turning to the pink, female Bob-omb beside him. "Ready to let loose, young lady?"

"Oh, you bet, old man!" Bombette shouted, her fuse automatically lighting up. "My temper's flaring up and I'm not keeping it in any longer!"

Cobal saw a huge crowd of enemies charging straight at them...gigantic stone Thwomps, huge bulky Sledge Bros, and dozens and dozens of smaller enemies. The Bob-ombs leapt into the air, glowing orange. Then there was a colossal boom. Light flashed, blinding Cobal's eyes as a fiery explosion ripped through the corridor. When the smoke finally cleared, there were no enemies in sight and a massive hole in the walls alongside them. Bobbery and Bombette stood there, unaffected by the explosion. Cobal knew this was because they were natural Bob-ombs; unlike the mechanical ones developed by the Koopa Troop, they could regenerate after exploding.

"Quick, in there!" Strike shouted. "It's a shortcut to the exit!"

"You don't need to tell us twice!" Goombario shouted, as they dived into the gaping hole. Cobal followed them, right behind Donkey Kong's hairy bulk and beside the strange, shadow-like Vivian, while the Koopa he recognized as Parakarry hovered above them, still wearing his old-fashioned flight cap.

They burst into a huge common room that was rapidly flooding with troops, but the group of former friends and allies of Mario cut through it like an arrowhead. There were minions assailing Cobal from all sides, but he fought back with his fists, legs, and tongue, battering minions every which way as they fought to stop the escapees mad rush to the exit. Strike was hurling fireballs, three every second, while Vivian punched a Koopa out of the way with her flaming fist and Captain Toad, having stolen a hammer from a Hammer Bro, gave a Goomba a solid whack.

"Heh, if I knew I'd be saving you, _Donkey Kong,_ I don't think I would've done this!" King K Rool exclaimed as he kicked a Koopa Troopa out of the way with one of his large clawed feet.

"Hey, if someone told me you'd ever save me, I'd tell em' you were crazy!" Donkey Kong laughed, slamming a Boomerang Bro down.

"How about we declare a temporary alliance?" K Rool said, as he hurled his crown to take out a squad of Paratroopas and Paragoombas before catching it again in one of his hands.

"Thought you'd never ask!" Donkey Kong cried. The huge ape and Kremling ran to the front of the group. Donkey Kong spun his body, smacking the enemies out of the way, while K Rool rushed in a wild charge, bowling them over with his bulk.

"Seal the doors!" Cobal heard a Koopa cry.

"Notify High Command!" screamed a Shy Guy. However, he was quickly silenced by a well-timed egg. Parakarry darted through the air like a missile, smashing through windows and knocking out the Koopas in the control room, preventing them from calling reinforcements. Leaving hundreds of dazed minions on the floor, the group made their way to the entrance hall. Cobal's entire body ached, but, as he and Gonzales worked together to take out one last Chargin' Chuck, he had never felt happier. Soon, they were all going to be free.

The main door to Stoneshell Prison was open, and light was spilling out into the mostly-bare entrance hall. Cobal and the huge crowd of former partners of Mario stopped forward. There was a single figure standing in the doorway, his elongated shadow stretching down the hall. It was a Koopa Troop, dressed in a spotless white suit and a white hat.

"Hello there, my friends." he said in a cheerful voice. "My name is Skallz Fortiscule, and I'm afraid you can go no further."

From beside him, Cobal's father laughed. "Yeah right!" he shouted, his voice echoing around the room. "I'm sure that's what all those guards though, too! But we showed em'! You can't stop us once we've gotten started, punk!"

"Yeah!" K Rool shouted. "Outta our way!"

"You've got real nerve trying to stop us, all alone like that." laughed a light green female Boo who Cobal recognized from the stories as Lady Bow.

Cobal glared at the Koopa who was facing them. The Koopa had a calm, peaceful smile on his face that seemed to him confidant...too confidant considering the odds. He got an odd premonition that something very, very bad was about to happen.

Skallz Fortiscule laughed lightly. "Oh, really?" he asked, briefly covering his left eye with his right hand. When he withdrew it, the eye was glowing orange. "You know, you could just go back to your cells right now." he said. "It would save you a lot of pain. I know it sounds cowardly, but trust me, you will thank me for giving you this chance. I might look young, but I fought in the first Koopa War, where both King Morton and the Mushroom Kingdom's hero Antonio acknowledged my power. Let me put that into context...that means I am more powerful then Mario was, even in his prime."

"That's ridiculous!" Gonzales shouted. "You never knew the guy like I did!" without another word, he charged forward, running across the brown stone floor towards the Koopa. Suddenly Cobal became very frightened. The cold, confidant smile never left Skallz' face. As Gonzales approached, he stretched out his left hand. Gonzales went flying as if struck by an invisible force, collapsing on the opposite wall.

"Gonzales!" Vivian exclaimed.

"You're gonna regret that!" Cobal shouted angrily at Skallz, even though he was so nervous he felt as if he was shaking.

"I'll take him from the left, you take him from the right!" Kooper exclaimed, ducking into his shell and igniting it with fire. He shot like a rocket at Skallz, curving around as Cobal darted for the enemy Koopa's right side. Calmly, Skallz pointing his hand first at Kooper's flaming shell, then at at Cobal. Cobal felt a cold, hard force slam into him, sending him flying across the room. He hit the wall, his vision blurring. He hadn't seen the attack coming. How could he have dodged it?

In the corner of his eye, he saw Goombella flipping through her tattle log rapidly. "There's nothing on this guy's power!" she exclaimed frightfully. "We're going in blind here!"

"That ain't a problem to me!" Donkey Kong exclaimed. "Come on, he can't take all of us!"

Rushing forward, Donkey Kong charged towards Skallz, the rest of the partners, plus K Rool, Peasley, and Strike, rushing at him. Skallz snapped his fingers, and bricks flew out of the wall to circle around him. He launched them like bullets, striking the partners and knocking them down. Donkey Kong smashed one of them out of the air in a desperate attempt to reach Skallz, but Skallz pointed a finger at him, sending him flying across the room. His eye shone light a miniature star. Peasley ducked under one of the flying bricks and aimed a stab at Skallz, who launched him away before spinning around to take out Diddy Kong, who had attempted to get behind him.

"How long are you going to keep this up?" Skallz asked, beginning to walk forward. The heroes, groaning, began to rise to their feet, weakly. "Admit it. Your time is over." Skallz said, stretching out his left hand. A brick underneath it contorted and condensed until it molded into a sword which rose into his hand. "Your career as heroes died with Mario. Accept it."

"Everyone!" came a weak voice from the end of the hall, near where they had entered. Cobal, who had by now rose, his body aching, saw Toadsworth, weakly leaning on his cane. "You...you can't beat him!" the ancient Toad exclaimed, the act of talking seeming like an effort for him. "Maybe you could've in the past, but twenty years in prison has made you weaker! We...we must get out the other way!"

"I ain't abandoning the Flying Krock!" K Rool exclaimed.

"D...don't be stupid, boss!" Klump yelled. "This guy's going to kill us if we try to get past him!"

Skallz raised his sword, the light from his eye glinting off the blade.

"He's right!" Goombella exclaimed.

Cobal hated to run. He felt like a coward, retreating from this one Koopa, who had mysteriously shown up. But, without any strategy or any knowledge of Skallz' powers, there was no way they could beat him.

"Let's go!" he shouted, running for Toadsworth. The other escapee's joined him, Donkey Kong helping to pick up Toadsworth so that they could get away faster. Strike launched a storm of fireballs at Skallz to slow him down, but the white-clothed Koopa just waved his hand, causing them to evaporate before him.

They dashed through the big hall, full of knocked-out Koopa Troop guards, and back into the corridors. Cobal looked behind him; Skallz was coming for them. He was calmly walking down the hallway, and which he walked, the bricks of the fortress shot out and floated out around, as if he was a black hole they couldn't help but to be drawn to. Even though he was walking slowly, Skallz seemed to be catching up to them, no matter how fast they ran. Just what kind of powers did this Koopa have? Who even was he? Was he a high-ranking agent of the Koopa Empire or...something else?

"I saw a Koopa Cruiser parked on the roof!" Peasley shouted. "We have to reach it!"

"He's gaining on us!" Parakarry yelled. "If he starts launching those bricks, we're doing for!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Strike exclaimed, turning around and stretching out one of his hands. The entire corridor was bathed in orange light as he surrounded a huge fireball, so hot it made Cobal's skin sweat. He fired it like a rocket at Skallz...only for it to sizzle the second it got within four feet of him.

"Attacks like that won't work, old boy!" Bobbery exclaimed, leaping up and running down towards Strike. "Leave it to me, I'll stall him!"

"No way, Bobbery!" Gonzales shouted, rushing to the old Bob-omb's side. "We're all getting out of here...and that means you too!"

Bobbery turned to Gonzales, and Cobal thought he detected a tear in his eye. "Gonzales, this old sea dog doesn't have much life left in him. I don't mind dying...I...I want to see my Scarlette again."

"No..."

"He's right, Gonzales." Vivian said with a sad voice. Skallz was coming closer, the bricks spinning around him as the corridor collapsed around the Koopa, spinning around him like a void. "If we don't escape from him right now...we'll all die!"

"Get out of here!" Bobbery shouted, running towards Skallz. His fuse was lit, trailing flame behind him. "Don't let my last big bomb be in vain!"

"Let's get out of here!" Gonzales exclaimed, his voice choking. Joining the rest of them, Cobal began to ran, urging his legs to move as fast as possible. He felt a deep sadness about Bobbery; he had never known him personally, but he had heard the stories of how he had helped Mario sail to the cursed island of Keelhall Key and even faced off against the evil queen of darkness herself. Behind him, Cobal heard the sound of a humungous explosion as smoke and light filled the corridor.

Finally, Cobal saw light. He ran up a spiral staircase in the middle of the crowd, finally reaching the top of a tower which appeared to be some kind of landing pad. A Koopa Cruiser was parked there, it's blue hull glinting in the sunlight. "I'll get us out of here as fast as possible, boss!" Krusha exclaimed, bolting up the extendable entrance stairway.

"Quick, we don't know how far behind he is!" Goombario exclaimed, rushing into the cruiser after him.

"Careful!" Diddy Kong warned Donkey Kong as the two boarded, Toadsworth still in Donkey Kong's arms. "You don't want to bump that old Toad around!"

Cobal boarded the Koopa Cruiser with his father beside him. Gonzales looked haunted. Cobal couldn't imagine what he was going through...having to abandon a companion he'd fought with through all those intense battles. Even as the staircase retracted and the door hissed closed, the engine was already starting to rumble. They were getting out of here.

The Koopa Cruiser rocketed away from Stoneshell Prison. Cobal stood on the deck, wind blowing around him as he watched the fortress grow further and further away. Gonzales was beside him, staring at the ocean with a sad expression on his face. It didn't feel like a victory, with the seemingly-invincible enemy and Admiral Bobbery's sacrifice. But that was exactly what it had been. Now, the heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom had been freed. Cobal had dealt the Koopa Empire it's largest blow yet.

Suddenly, one of the towers of Stoneshell Prison began to shake. Slowly, it began to rise, shaking bricks and rubble off as it turned in mid-air, pointing itself at the Koopa Cruiser. Cobal's heart stopped as he realized what was going on. "It's that Koopa!" he shouted. "He's launching the entire tower at us!"

Gonzales instantly snapped upwards. "It's like a massive Bullet Bill!" he exclaimed, rushing down off the deck and down the staircase leading into the ship's interior. Cobal followed him, his footsteps ringing on the metal stairs.

"Dodge! Dodge!" Gonzales shouted as he rushed into the bridge, where Krusha was at the wheel. "That crazy Koopa...he's throwing a whole tower at us!"

"Doesn't this guy know when to quit!?" K Rool screamed.

"Hold onto something, cuz' you're all about to feel real sick!" Krusha shouted, grabbing the wheel and yanking it roughly to the left.

The entire Koopa Cruiser tilted, causing Cobal and everyone else on the bridge to slide to one side. Out of the main window, Cobal saw the tower go flying fast.

"We need to get away from this guy!" Goombella shouted. "Put this thing into full speed!"

"Yah don't need to say it, lady!" Krusha replied, pulling a leaver which made the Koopa Cruiser jerk forward before rocketing into the clouds, away from the prison at last. Cobal's heart was beating.

"If we had been just five minutes too late..." he thought to himself, "That guy could've killed us all!"

Skallz stood at the top of the Stoneshell Prison's battlements, watching at the Koopa Cruiser faded into a speck on the horizon. It was surprising they had managed to escape him, he reflected as the tower he had launched fell into the water with a splash. This could prove troublesome in the future.

Skallz heard footsteps behind him, and he turned to see Admiral Bobbery walking up to him weakly. Skallz regarded him with disinterest; his explosion had been impressive for a Bob-omb and had gutted a fair amount of Stoneshell Prison's interior, but it, quite naturally, had failed to injure him.

"You lost, old boy." Bobbery laughed weakly. "They're gone. Go tell King Bowser you let Mario's allies escape! That blustering reptile won't be able to sleep!"

"Oh, don't assume I work for Bowser." Skallz replied, crossing his arms as he stared the aged Bob-omb down. "I was here on my own accord. Don't believe that these heroes will be able to change the course of history, admiral." he smiled coldly. "Only tragedy will come to them, like it will come to you."

"Do what you want!" Bobbery barked. "I'm not afraid to die! I'm ready to see Scarlette again!"

"Then let me grant that wish." Skallz replied calmly. He stretched out his hand, his left eye shining, as he levitated Bobbery into the air. The Bob-omb didn't struggle. He stared defiantly at Skallz. Skallz' orange eye shone red. Rays of light shone from Bobbery and there was a flash of light. When it disappeared, Bobbery was gone.

Skallz turned to the ocean and stared at the horizon, adjusting his hat. Yes, these heroes were persistent. Perhaps they were even persistent enough to warrant attention from Seven Stars. "I'm going to have to inform the Grand Star about this." Skallz said to himself as he turned and walked away, the smooth, sparkling ocean behind him.


	36. The World is Moving

**Chapter Thirty-Six: The World is Moving**

 _Sorry for the late chapter, everyone! We've recently passed Fallen Kingdom's one-year anniversary and I'd like to thank everyone who's followed, favourited, and reviewed this story so far. You've helped make it one of the most popular (newer) fanfictions in the Mario category, so I can't thank you enough! I'd like you all to know that I'm in no way running out of steam for this story; I've still got a lot of desire to finish it. I know exactly what's going to happen and roughly how far through I am with it, but the reason why I haven't been updating as frequently as I'd like is because Fallen Kingdom is in fact my secondary writing project. There's another, non-fanfiction story I'm currently working on which I hope to get published, and that takes up most of my time I have available to write. Rest assured though...Fallen Kingdom WILL be completed, no matter what._

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Cobal felt tense. For an hour he had stalked through the Koopa Cruiser, hearing the hum of the engines in his eyes and feeling the gentle vibrations of the deck beneath his feet. A year ago he would've been overjoyed to be in a room with so many of the Mushroom Kingdom's greatest heroes, but right now, he was still shaken. Not even in the dangerous fight against the black Kremling who called himself the "Silver Star" had he come closer to death. " _That Koopa could've killed us all."_ Cobal thought as he placed his hands on a red-coloured railing, staring down into the cargo hold. Had what he said been true? Was this "Skallz Fortiscule" really stronger then Luigi...or even Mario? Cobal didn't want to entertain that thought. If the Koopa Empire really had somebody that powerful on their side, he could wipe out their new, hopeful resistance at Toad Town single-handedly.

Across the pit leading into the cargo hold, Cobal saw King K Rool sitting on a barrel, looking distraught. Klump and Krusha were with him, trying to comfort him. "I had a lot'o memories with that ship." he sighed. "Got it right back when I was going through my pirate phase. I still remember it...my blunderbuss smoking in my hands as that idiotic ape leapt over cannonball after cannonball..."

"Cheer up, boss!" Krusha said, giving the king a hearty whack on the shoulder. "The Flying Krock might be gone now, but it will live on in our hearts!"

"Yeah!" Klump agreed. "When we restart the Kremling Krew, we can even have it on one of our medals of honour!"

"Oh, shut up, you scalleywags." K Rool hissed.

Cobal turned away from the sight and climbed one of the Koopa Cruiser's thin stairwells, making for the bridge. He passed Peasley along the way; he was sitting with his back to a barrel, deep in conversation with Captain Toad.

"I just...I don't know if I can do it." Cobal heard him sigh. "When the empire falls, the Beanish survivors will look to me as a leader! I've never had it in me to be king; I was always off flying around the kingdom instead of reviewing my nation's tax policies. And yet it falls to me to rebuild the Beanbean Kingdom almost completely from scratch; why, I'll even have to build a new castle and castle town! No Beanish king has had such a dire task since the fall of the Soybean Civilization."

"Ah, cheer up, prince!" Captain Toad smiled. "Hey, you're the superstar of the Beanbean Kingdom, remember! You're like their own version of Mario! Everyone will be more then happy to pitch in and help you, and if you really can't do something well enough, you can always hire an advisor or something."

"Yes...yes, you're right." Peasley said in a relieved voice. "My mother's Lady Lima was an excellent help to her, you know."

Cobal left them and walked into the bridge. Through the main window, he could see that they were by now passing over land, although it was dark and cloudy so it was difficult to see which kingdom they were in. Mountains pierced the clouds like islands springing from the ocean.

Funky Kong was at the wheel, piloting the ship with one hand like one would drive a car. As the Koopa Cruiser had been designed for a Koopa's body proportions, it's designers had not thought about making it easy for someone who was twice the size of an average member of the species to drive it. Cobal quickly located Strike, who was standing in one of the corners with the aged Toadsworth, who was sitting on the ground, looking near ready to collapse. A purple-coloured Cheep-Cheep was tending to him. As Cobal approached, Toadsworth tried to stand, but the Cheep-Cheep quickly stopped him.

"Oh, no you don't." she said sternly. "Your bones are too stiff right now and you're still in too much shock. What you need is lots of rest...and a proper bed."

"Thank you, Sushie my dear." Toadsworth sighed. "Oh...I'm afraid this old body isn't what it used to be."

"Strike." Cobal said, coming up to him. "I need to talk to you."

"What is it?" Strike asked, crossing his arms.

"That Koopa." he admitted, shuddering in spite of himself. Skallz' shining orange eye flashed through his vision. "I need to know who he is."

"I'd like to know that too, Cobal." Strike replied, glancing out the main window briefly before turning back to him. "I've been in the Koopa Troop for quite some time. Officers gossip a lot. You'd think a Koopa with that much power would be well-known in the army. Even if he was a member of a top-secret division, there would still be rumours, legends...tall tales most probably would've even believe. But no." Strike shook his head. "Forgive me if I'm mistaken...but I don't believe that Skallz Fortiscule has any affiliation with the Empire whatsoever."

Cobal felt his blood run cold. That only made things worse. If there were others out to get them, a group which had people as powerful as Skallz on their side... "Seven Stars." Cobal thought, remembering the strange magical powers that the Silver Star had used. "They must want revenge for what we did to one of their leaders." If there was somebody as powerful as Skallz working with them, though, it was likely enough that they were no ordinary crime syndicate. The funny thing about Skallz was that, even though he claimed to be a veteran of the First Koopa War, he didn't look a day over thirty. Had he been lying, or-

"I'm meaning to ask that old Toad...Toadsworth, I believe his name is; about him. He lived through the war; he'd remember something."

"The chap seemed familiar..." Toadsworth said, looking up at them. "But I would've only heard of him. The front lines were no place for a bloke like me, not even when I was a boy! Still, I will give it some thought. Skallz Fortiscule...it does ring a bell."

Cobal was about to say something, when Skallz cut him off.

"There are more important things at stake right now, Cobal." he said. His face looked troubled. "We've escaped from Skallz; let's worry about him another day. I just got a call."

"From who?" Cobal asked.

"Captain Shyrif."

"W...what!?" Cobal exclaimed. His heart began to beat. Sure, they were far away from the empire now, but the thought of their treachery being discovered seemed terrifying to him.

"He was angry, of course, but gave us an exception, because we both were so effective in Conkdor Canyon. You might be interested to know that the war is going poorly in Sector Two. Conkdor Canyon fell a long time ago. The entire Sprixie Kingdom is under Neo Empire command, and the army that we fought in is now fighting in the Chai region of Sarasaland. As for our squad, Shada, that Boo who always kept to herself, and Fungin, that pessimistic Toad, are both dead. Everyone else is still fighting hard though."

Cobal breathed a sigh of relief. He'd never known Shada and had actually disliked Fungin despite him being a forced Mushroom Kingdom recruit, but he'd rather liked the company of his other squad-mates even though he hadn't had much time to get to know them. He was especially glad to know that Shroomer was still alive. That innocent Toad deserved better then to die on the battlefield. "What are we going to do? Are we going to ignore the captain, or do we head to Chai?"

"We aren't going to ignore the captain." Strike replied. "You may do whatever you like, but I have a duty. I've enjoyed this, Cobal. I believe together we've done many things that will help bring an end to the Koopa Empire and the return of the old, proud, Koopa Kingdom. But against a threat like the Neo Empire, I have to stand with my people. I won't give you any orders, Cobal, but I would appreciate if you'd come along. It would be easier to come up with an alibi if you came back with me. Shyrif believed that I was headed to Isle Delphino to visit my dying father, and had taken you with me as a bodyguard since we were passing through Neo Empire territory. He would be suspicious if you didn't come back."

Cobal sighed. Normally, he wouldn't have minded; much as he hated fighting under the Koopa flag, battling the Neo Empire was an important task. Even Mario had made alliances with Bowser again common enemies. But...his father! They'd just been reunited! He wanted nothing more then to make some memories with him, battling against the empire together and learning Gonzales Jr's legendary Glitz Pit moves that had earned him the Champion's Belt. "I'll think about it." he finally said.

"Good." Strike nodded. "And...one more thing. We haven't been assigned to Chai. We're being put into a huge invasion force, commanded by Prince Bowser Jr himself. We're planning to be the arrow to the heart of the Neo Empire...the decisive blow that will knock Prince Ludwig from his throne."

* * *

Ten Koopa Battleships moved through the misty sky. They were decorated with the colours of Bowser Jr, bearing his figurehead and his flag. The roar of their engines filled the sky as they crossed over the Mushroom Mountains lined the border between the Koopa Kingdom and the Mushroom Kingdom.

General Fortugas Flame, ex-governor of the Mushroom Kingdom, sat on the command seat of his flagship, watching the jagged grey peaks drift by. For a typically energetic Koopa, he was feeling unusually sullen.

Things were not going well for him. He'd known for years that he was not well-liked as a member of Koopa High Command. His peers thought he was too young, too arrogant, and too inexperienced. They were all fools, of course. It had been his brilliant strategy which had destroyed the Snowmad armada when they had sailed for Neo Bowser City, wiping out a rival to imperial dominion in one fell swoop. And it had been his brilliant leadership that had prevented the Mushroom Kingdom, the greatest opposer to Emperor Bowser, from rising up in revolution!

That is, except for when he had made that one, critical mistake. Flame clenched his fist as he sat in his seat, watching his crew at their control consoles. Luigi. He'd failed to attack Luigi. If he had brought his battleships down upon Toad Town as soon as Boom Boom's garrison had fallen, he'd have proved himself. He would've been the one to have taken down the second Mario brother, a hero who had personally beaten many of his more-respected cohorts at the table. Only the emperor himself could boast of such an honour. But he'd blown it...no, he told himself. There was still a chance. Ten battleships, each with a full garrison on board, their cannons loaded and their holds stocked-up with Bob-ombs. Toad Town, long a symbol of resistance against the Koopa throne, would be razed to the ground...and he, of course, would be sitting in the Grand General's seat by the year's end.

"Blueshell, fetch me some Koopa tea." he said to the Boomerang Bro who was standing beside him. "A man needs to calm themselves before battle, don't you think?

Blueshell sighed. "A battle which would've been easier one if you'd just listened to me to begin with, general."

"Oh, shut up, Blueshell." Flame scowled. While it was true that the Boomerang Bro, the only member of Boom Boom's garrison to escape, had informed him of Luigi's return ages ago, he refused to admit that his secretary was right.

Flame straightened himself in his seat and gazed out at the window. The sun was rising, light streaming over the mountains. It was a new day, and the beginning of a new chapter of his shining career. By the time it was done, his victory at Neo Bowser City would be forgotten. "Grand General Fortugas Flame...the man who slew Luigi." Flame said allowed. It had a nice ring to it...even if, Flame admitted, there were a surprisingly large amount of people in the world who still only knew him as "The Green Mario."

* * *

The Fire Flower Base was silent. Yoshi sat in his office at his desk, his chair creaking as he shifted his weight in it. The room was dark, lit only by the light of Yoshi's computer and the orange glow of the big screen from the main control room, which was filtering through the room's glass door.

Yoshi felt strange. This was Fire Flower's finest hour...the destruction of Neon City, one of the Koopa Empire's main power bases. Why, for all they knew, Roy Koopa, one of Bowser's cruelest children, could now be dead, never to trouble the innocent people of the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond again. So why was it feeling more like a defeat?

Luigi's words haunted Yoshi. Was it true? Was he really becoming just as bad as the Koopas? Yoshi shook his hand, thinking back to his past. Luigi had always been so weak, so helpless...he remembered rescuing him from Kamek all those years ago. Kamek...Yoshi had heard the old Magikoopa was dead now. His age had finally caught up with him and he had scrummed to the Koopa fever a few years ago. Yoshi remembered feeling strangely sad about it. Of course he was glad that Bowser's chief advisor, the one who had molded him into the tyrant he was now, was dead...but dying of sickness in bed seemed a rather anti-climactic end for a foe like Kamek. Yoshi had always imagined that they'd meet in battle, one last time.

It was as if everything was gone now, Yoshi realized. His eyes fell on the picture on his desk; he and his many-coloured friends posing by the Super Happy Tree after they had recovered it from the young Prince Bowser. Most of them were dead now, and the ones that lived were working in the work camps that now covered Yoshi's Island, building weapons and ships for the empire. He'd lost so many good men and women trying to free them that eventually he had just stopped trying. His oldest friends...his home, Mario, Princess Peach...even Luigi was gone now.

It was those Koopas, Yoshi told himself. He slammed his fist onto his desk, shaking his picture. It fell down flat on it's frame. Emperor Bowser and his children and his generals...they all deserved it. If he had a million nuclear Bob-ombs he'd use them. They all deserved to suffer...and the sooner Luigi and all the rest of the rebels who were still out there realized that, the better.

Outside of the Fire Flower headquarters, Toadificus stood in an alleyway, gazing up at the murky red skies that covered everywhere near Koopa Central. The green-capped, moustached Toad lit a cigar and puffed on it for a moment. Yoshi...his boss was in one of his moods again. What that could mean, he didn't know.

Toadificus heard the flap of wings and looked up to see a Paragoomba fly down. This Paragoomba, unlike most other Paragoombas, wore a dark green visor. "You called, Green Star?" he asked.

Toadificus took another puff on his cigar. "Yes." he replied softly. "I want you to send a message to Headquarters, and make sure it reaches my fellows at the Board. Tell them that Yoshi will probably strike again soon. I will return myself soon, once I have more infomation."

"As you wish, sir." the Paragoomba replied, before flying away with a flap of his wings. He was gone as quickly as he had appeared.

Toadificus took another smoke of his cigar as he walked back into the side door leading into the base. There were dramatic events unfolding all over the world, he thought. But the ones who came out on top were the ones who watched...and waited.

* * *

It was always dark in the volcanic regions of the Koopa Kingdom, and the rising sun only transformed the sky from pitch black to dark purple. The Koopa Kingdom was a vast land, and one which was very diverse, but many people from the Mushroom Kingdom only thought of what they called Dark Land, the volcanic wastelands. Said wastelands were massive and rugged, full of volcanoes and fiery seas. The only settlements, save for Flame City next to Bowser's Castle, were fortresses and factories belonging to the Koopa Troop. It was a harsh, seemingly impassible land...yet a land the Mario brothers had traversed more times then anybody knew.

Kammy Koopa flew through the air, her wrinkled hands gripping her broom tightly. She looked up at the brightening sky, and urged her broom to move faster. It was far more pleasant to fly over Dark Land during the night, when there was a comfortable sort of coolness, compared to the blisteringly temperatures which, if not for the spells of heat protection she had placed upon herself, would've been unbearable for a Koopa of her advanced age.

Kammy flew over a skeletal fortress, the long-dead trees' black branches seeming to reach up at her like hands. Little puffs of violet smoke came from the end of Kammy's broom as she continued over the forest. Up ahead, a massive lava sea loomed, stretching up until the horizon and the tall, jagged, purple-tinted mountains. A stone pathway jutted out onto the lava, twisting and turning, at at the very end there was a castle.

The castle was called Bowser's Castle, but that didn't mean much since nearly every castle in the Koopa Kingdom was called Bowser's Castle. Really, Kammy thought, her master wasn't very creative with names. This particular castle was far from the most elaborate to bear the name. It was a simple stone fortress, it's towers encircled by decorative rings of spikes. Few events of note had happened in this castle, too; it had been where the inter-dimensional sorcerer Count Bleck had abducted the Koopa Troop and the Mario Brothers, but aside from that it had played host to few epic encounters. Yet despite all of this it held a special place in Kammy's heart. It was one of the oldest castles in the Koopa Kingdom, first constructed over one thousand years ago, and it had played host to more Koopa Kings then any other.

Bowser had been raised in this castle. When King Morton had died in the war and the Koopa Troop had been splintered, this castle had been where Kammy had fled to with the rest of his squad to sign under the authority of Kamek to defend the true heir to the throne. In the brutal succession war, Kamek's faction had crushed the armies of Morton's remaining generals and established Prince Bowser firmly as the King of the Koopas. The war had given Kammy several opportunities to show off her magical prowess, and it wasn't long until she had become second only to Kamek in the magikoopas of the kingdom. This castle had been Lord Bowser's seat from time to time...while he was building or rebuilding his new castles that were more to his liking, of course. Bowser had been building castles since he'd been four, and, if the huge Imperial Citadel in Koopa Central was any indication, would probably go on building them until he died.

But it was not sentimental value that interested Kammy today. The Magikoopa urged her broom closer, over the crooked path. She could see no soldiers on the castle walls. It was seldom used these days, and with the civil war brewing all over the world, she'd be surprised if there were more than ten soldiers guarding it at all. This castle had been where Bowser had raised his family...and there was a good chance that it would still contain certain records. Records that Bowser had tried to have erased.

When Bowser had married the beautiful Lavaria, he had first brought her to live with him in one of the castles he himself had built, the one which was modelled after a huge statue of himself. This castle had been the first castle Bowser had built, and as such, it's design which had been pieced together but some very stressed architects from the young Bowser's crayon sketches, made no sense whatsoever. There were too many rooms full of nothing but bridges over lava, and too many doors which required four people to stand on certain platforms in order for them to open. Lavaria wanted some place more practical to raise her family, so, while Bowser ordered an intense interior remodel along with an exterior redesign to more resemble his adult self, the Koopa family had moved to this older, more simple castle. Queen Lavaria would never live to see the renovations completed. Not long after the birth of her youngest child, she was murdered.

As Kammy suspected, the castle was unguarded. She flew around it, making sure that this was completely true, before bringing her broom to a hover right next to a tower window. Kammy pointed her want at it, and the window glowed purple before swinging open. Kammy flew her broom into the castle and floated to the ground.

The room Kammy was in was thick with cobwebs and dust. Most likely, she reflected, nobody had set foot inside of it for decades. It was a tiny room, with a small table and chair set before the window, a fireplace, and a bookshelf of dusty old books. Above the fireplace was a picture of Bowser, the Koopalings (all looking far younger then they did now, or even in the days when they had fought the Mario brothers), and a beautiful red-shelled Koopa with red hair tied back. She was an ordinary Koopa Troopa; only Koopas of the royal bloodline had the large, more intimidating builds of Bowser and his children.

Kammy stared at the picture for a moment, looking at Lavaria sadly. "What a sad waste." she said, shaking her head. "If she was still alive we wouldn't be in this mess to begin with." Then Kammy began to search the room.

She found what she was looking for without trouble. It was a diary, it's cover a picturesque painting of the Old Palace. The Old Palace was, as the name suggested, one of the older castles belonging to Bowser, although some said that this castle went back even further; although it was most certainly eclipsed by the Old Palace in grandness. It was designed in the old traditional style of the Koopa Kingdom, over one thousand years old, and Lavaria had always loved it, although she'd never lived there. It was scarcely fit for anything but a historical relic and Bowser had only used it once as a fortress, when he stopped by it on his way to the moon for one of his many attentions to marry that ridiculous princess.

Lavaria had loved writing in her diary, too. Kammy opened it and flipped through the pages. She wished she could read the entire thing and recall long-lost times, but now wasn't the place for that and it felt inappropriate to read the dead queen's private thoughts. There was one thing that she had to read, however. The last entry. Lavaria had written almost every day. It was like a record of her life...and, Kammy hoped, her death.

The last entry was brief. " _Roy pushed Bowser Jr again today and I had to ground him from television. I'm worried he's growing into a bit of a bully, so I'm going to have to be stern with him. On top of that, Morton broke Lemmy's doll and they've both been crying all day. I hope tomorrow will be much more cheerful! I'm going on a nighttime stroll to clear my head. It's surprising how beautiful the forest can be, even though it's been dead for centuries. It's beautiful in a haunting sort of way, I guess? I especially love that one lava fall and how it shines on the bark. It's the kind of thing that could only happen here in Dark Land, and, even though I miss the lush hills of my hometown, it reminds me that there's beauty everywhere, if you only know where to look."_

Kammy closed the book. She'd been waiting for years to read that passage. If she had tried to do it when Bowser still lived in the Koopa Kingdom, he would've been so angry she could've been thrown in the dungeons. But now he was far away in what had once been called the Metro Kingdom, and quite distracted as well. She wondered if he missed her. She'd been gone for two years, doing all the research she could find on Lavaria. There were suspicious things, to be sure. While Bowser had tried his best to forget about her and had banned mentioning her name, typically the murder of a queen would be world news. But it had been covered up from the Mushroom Kingdom to the clouds of Nimbus Land, and she had fair reason to suspect that somebody had been trying to cover it other than Bowser...somebody powerful enough to affect the entire world. That was why she had to get to the bottom of this.

Kammy summoned her broom and got on it. More likely then not, that lava fall in the dead forest was where Lavaria Koopa had died. It would be easy to find. Once she reached there, Kammy would use an ancient, powerful spell that she had gone through incredible pains to discover and to master. It would open a window into time, allowing her to see exactly how Lavaria had died. Then she'd tell Bowser. It would send him into a murderous rampage, of course, but Kammy didn't mind that. "A little fire breath will do His Grunginess some good." she fretted to herself, flying out of the window. The sun was continuing to rise, and the heat rose from the lava lake. "Besides," she thought as she flew back over the castle towards the forest, "If he remembers his first love, perhaps he'll forget about that stupid princess and make an end of all this. An old maid can only hope, right?"

With that thought in mind, Kammy flew over the twisting stone path, her broom trailing faint purple smoke behind it.


	37. The Second Battle of Toad Town

**Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Second Battle of Toad Town**

 _Sorry this took so long to get out! Well, what matters is that it's here, right? Hopefully the next chapter will be released quicker, although that depends on the amount of time I'll have to write it._

* * *

The Koopa Cruiser rumbled through the sky. The sun was rising, dying the aircraft's blue hull a tinted orange colour. Cobal stood in one of the cruiser's tiny cabins, on which Toadsworth was laying on a simple white cot. Strike stood beside him.

The old Toad had finally agreed to talk about the mysterious Skallz Fortiscule. "I'll admit, I don't know much." Toadsworth admitted while propped up on his pillow. "I never saw the man, let alone spoke with him."

"Anything is appreciated." Strike replied, crossing his arms. The orange light of the sunrise filtered through the window, illuminating the mostly bare, closet-sized room. Cobal was nearly touching Toadsworth's bed. It was plain to see that the Koopa Cruiser's cabins had been designed for sleep and nothing more. Cobal wondered if his father would like to here anything about their enemy. He had, more likely then not, killed Admiral Bobbery, after all. If Toadsworth knew anything worthwhile, he'd pass it on.

"Skallz Fortiscule...well, as he said, fought in the First Koopa War." Toadsworth said, before coughing. "I don't know his history. I do know one thing, though...he fought on the Mushroom Kingdom side."

"What?!" Cobal exclaimed. Why would a former Mushroom Kingdom ally be trying to prevent the escape of several of the kingdom's greatest heroes? "Then-" Cobal started to ask, but Toadsworth interrupted him.

"Not so hasty, lad." Toadsworth said. "I wasn't finished yet. Skallz was believed to have been a...mercenary of sorts, although exactly who hired him, nobody knows. It certainly wasn't King Alfred Toadstool, the dear princess' departed father. I can understand why he was hired though...I'm sure you both know we've never been warriors."

"My father always told me that fighting Toads was like going to war against a flock of chickens." Strike said. "All they do is make a lot of noise and run away when you startle them."

"Oh, indeed." Toadsworth nodded. "My race has never had warlike inclinations. If it hadn't have been for that man Antonio, and his brother Giovanni, the Mushroom Kingdom would've fallen under Koopa dominion long before you two were born.

Cobal nodded. Antonio...that was the guy who that old Dry Bones had mentioned back at the barracks of Lava-Lake Keep. A hero beyond compare and the rumoured father of the Mario brothers...somebody who people claimed was history's most powerful fighter. "Toadsworth..." Cobal said slowly. "Skallz...he claimed to be Antonio's equal, and the old King Morton's too. Is that...is that true?"

Toadsworth sighed. "Sorry, my boy, but I can't say." he admitted. "I personally think he over exaggerated his words just a bit. Many canyons in the Mushroom Kingdom were created from Antonio and Morton's fights, you know. But...he was powerful, or so the reports claim. He wielded a strange sort of magic that gave him powers like telekinesis on a very large scale. If anybody could've fought equally with those two, I'd take a guess and say it would be him."

Cobal nodded. That made him nervous. Just what kind of a guy was this Koopa?

"Do you know anything more?" Strike asked.

Toadsworth sighed. "I'm afraid not." he admitted. "It was a long, long time ago, and as I said, this is all hearsay. I never got a chance to witness Skallz fight on the battlefield. I saw him for the first time yesterday."

"Then thank you for your time." Strike nodded.

Cobal looked at the window, where the sun was dying the clouds pink. They were almost back at the Mushroom Kingdom. Luigi would know what to do, he told himself. If anybody could defeat Skallz, it would be him.

* * *

The airship slowly lowered itself to the ground. Luigi sighed and stood up. It had been a lonely flight from Koopa Central to the Mushroom Kingdom. There were only two Toads on the repurposed airship for his company, the helmsman and the engineer. Neither had been able to talk to him and Luigi wasn't certain they even _wanted_ to. After all, they were members of Fire Flower, and he had refused Fire Flower's offer of an alliance.

Toad Town was visible in the distance, the tall red-roofed tower of Peach's Castle rising over the rolling green plains around them. There was a tall wall around the town now, but aside from that it looked the same as it always had to Luigi. The sight of it made him sad. Back in the old days Yoshi had come to Toad Town all the time, for banquets and parties, kart races and tennis tournaments. But now that Yoshi was no more. It was like he had died with Mario...the leader of Fire Flower was nothing more then a terrorist, completely different from the brave and honourable hero Luigi had known.

Luigi made a move to leap off the airship, before the helmsman spoke.

"L...Luigi?" he said, stepping away from the wheel. He was a red-capped Toad, wearing the typical Toad vest. "I...I'm really sorry about Yoshi."

"Yeah." Luigi nodded. "I...I really wanted this to work out, you know."

"I've been with Fire Flower ever since the beginning." the Toad admitted. "At first we fought just like we did when...when your brother was around, but he started to get desperate. First he started executing the prisoners, and after that it wasn't long until his attacks starting hurting all of Bowser's people, not just the soldiers. Sometimes I wonder if we're even still the good guys."

"You could come over to my side." Luigi suggested. "We could always use more people, and we'd never, never do anything like Yoshi did."

The Toad's face was troubled. "I believe you..." he agreed. "But...but I just don't know. How long has your resistance been going? Has it even been a month yet? I can't just leave Fire Flower, Luigi, I can't."

"Well, if you change your mind, we're always open." Luigi replied, before leaping off the ship and landing on the soft grass. There was a whirr of propellers and a gust of wind that nearly knocked his hat off his head, and then the airship took off.

It was a bright morning, Luigi thought, although it was rather cool. The pale pink skies shone of Toad Town as he approached, with a few puffy white clouds drifting by. The wall that surrounded Toad Town was not a pretty thing. It was around eight meters high and built of a patchwork of materials; uncut stones, broken up war machines, the walls and floorboards of Toad Houses that had been damaged beyond repair. Luigi even glimpsed a faded Koopa Troop insignia on a rusted metal plate. Yet what it lacked in beauty it seemingly had in sturdiness. Luigi noted that every bit of junk had been fitted together like the pieces of a puzzle and cement had been poured in to fill the cracks. It was Toadbert's work, to be sure, with some helpful ingenuity from Toadette, of course. Luigi was also pleased to see that on the top of the wall, there were plenty of bill blasters, along with a few custom-made catapults. He smiled proudly. It was still a far cry from being a fortress city, but this wasn't the same Toad Town that Bowser could just fly in and do whatever he liked.

There were Toads patrolling the wall top, holding spears. A green-capped one gave a shout as he saw Luigi. "Everybody!" he screamed excitedly. "Open the gates! Luigi's back!"

"Luigi!" A yellow Toad exclaimed. "Hey, welcome back, Luigi!" he exclaimed, waving at him. Luigi waved back.

"Hey!" he smiled. "I see you've been getting lots of work done."

The gates creaked open. They were made of scrap metal, much like the rest of the wall, but reinforced so that he didn't doubt they could tank a few Bob-ombs before giving way. As Luigi stepped into the town, the inhabitants ran to meet him.

"I saw you on TV, you got that Koopaling good!"

"Mushroom City's thriving, there ain't a single Toad in prison any more!"

"The Koopa fortress over at Flower Fields fell yesterday; who knew Wario could be such a good ally?"

Luigi, of course, couldn't reply to all of them so he was reduced to waving like a celebrity as he walked up the brick road towards the beautiful castle that rose above the city. These happy sounds brought joy to his heart. Aside from a few empty plots where the destroyed Toad Houses had been cleared away and some shoddy patching on some of the mushroom-shaped roofs, Toad Town looked much the same as it had used to look. There was no more sign of Koopa oppression in it at all except for the wall that surrounded it. It was a warm sight after the cold cynicism of Fire Flower. Things could go back to the way they used to be, he promised himself.

As Luigi passed the Town Square (there was no Princess Peach statue on the fountain yet, but he didn't doubt some sculptor was working on it), the Toad brigade ran to meet him.

"Luigi!" Toadette shouted, her pigtails flying behind her as she ran down the road. "I can't believe it! You beat Roy!"

Luigi sighed. "Yeah..." he agreed. "But Fire Flower..."

Toadette's face fell. "What happened?" she said in a voice full of concern. "The news feed cut out after the battle was over."

"Let's just say that Fire Flower and us aren't going to be working together." he said resentfully. "Even if we're on the same side, they might even be worse then Bowser." it was true, really, at least as far as the old Bowser had been. He might've launched a few raids and blew up a few houses from time to time, but completely destroying a large city with tons of innocents would've been a kind of thing even King Bowser would've never done. It was sad to think how far Yoshi had fallen, although who knew what war crimes Bowser had committed after Mario and Peach's wedding had broken him.

"I'd suggest you don't lose sleep over Fire Flower." Banktoad suggested optimistically. "We've been making tons of progress ourselves?"

"Really?" Luigi asked, his eyes widening. "Like...what?"

"Come on, let's discuss this in the castle." Toadette said, turning around. Luigi nodded and they began to walk up the path. The yellow Toad, Billy, moved closer to Luigi as they continued strolling past the Toad Houses. Billy no longer looked lazy and childish, Luigi realized. In the Toad's eyes there burned a new determination.

"Luigi...me and the others you gave tips to have been working really hard." he said fiercely, tightening his hands into a fist. "It was hard training, without you there, until Toadbert found a way to hack into the dark web. There are apparently a lot of Mario videos floating around there, and we've all learnt to much!" he punched the air, a grin on his face. "Plus, I've been working on my own martial arts techniques, and I think you'd be really proud!"

Luigi was genuinely impressed. Admittedly, in the past he'd been disappointed by the Toad Guard. One would think that a princess who was kidnapped nearly every week would be surrounded constantly by the most elite security detail, but the guards threw down their spears and ran at the slightest hint Bowser was about to appear. It appeared now that the new generation of Toad Town's defenders were no about to be so cowardly. "I...I'm really proud of you." Luigi smiled, patting Billy on the shoulder. "Hey...maybe we're even strong enough to go toe-to-toe with the Koopa Troop now!"

"I'll say that again!" Toadette laughed. "With the help of the Wario brothers, we've actually taken down a couple small fortresses. The civil war has taken up so much of the empire's time, they simply can't defend their territories around here. Plus, these aren't our only allies." by now, they had reached the castle. Toadette pushed the huge brown doors open and Luigi followed her through the entrance hall and down a corridor until they reached the council chambers. "Back when you took Mushroom City back from the Koopas, we were able to seize a whole shipyard. May I present...the Mushroom Kingdom fleet!"

Toadette picked up a small remote that was lying on one of the tables and turned the projector screen on. Luigi stood gazing at the image of an battleship, mostly identical to the Koopa Troop's next-generation airships he had seen in Mushroom City. It retained the basic wooden hull and turrets, only it had been completely remodelled in a Mushroom Kingdom design. The figurehead of Bowser Jr had been removed to be replaced with a large golden star, and the Bowser's castle-inspired superstructure was now designed after Peach's Castle, with the spiked dome covering the bridge being replaced with a pointed red tower. The entire ship was also painted white. While it looked cheerful enough (as if he really expected anything designed by Toadette to look menacing), Luigi saw that it still appeared to retain all the weapons of the Koopa Troop ship. This was a battleship to be sure, a floating fortress that could hold it's own against anything the Koopa Empire threw at it.

"W...ow." Luigi said, blown away. "I didn't think things had changed so much..."

"We've all been giving it our all." Toadbert said proudly, smiling and adjusting his glasses. "This is our fight as well. We've got about twenty of these ships, ready to fight. Wario's commanding them now, although he's heading back after destroying the Koopa Troop fortress at Flower Fields."

"And don't forget the new recruits!" Mailtoad chimed in, jumping up and down in excitement. "We've got em' pouring in by the dozen! Everyone's tired of living under Bowser's claw and anyone who knows how to fight or is willing to learn is pouring in! We've got resistance groups in every town and village, and they're growing! We've got thousands now!"

"S...slow down!" Luigi exclaimed, unable to contain the smile on his face. He couldn't believe it. This was more then he had wished for. Thousands of recruits learning to fight, airships, a defended Toad Town... "Toadbert." Luigi said suddenly, turning to him. "I want you to help people find out about this in the other kingdoms. Could you find a way to...I don't know, advertise us, without the empire finding out?"

Toadbert smiled modestly. "Well...it won't be perfect, but I'll do my best." he said. "With Toadette's help, it should be easy. The Beanbean Kingdom won't be much of a problem and I'm sure I can some messages out to a few of the others, as well. All the Sectors that the Neo Empire is taking over will be the easiest, since they're in chaos. The old empire's lost it's power but the new one hasn't quite established itself yet. It'll be easy to send the poor people a few messages."

"Good." Luigi nodded, feeling proud. "Any problems around here?"

"There's been a few patrols." Toadette replied. "A battleship here and there, but nothing too major. I don't think the Koopas have the resources to attack us right now. Once some stupid patrol decided to try and get over the wall, but we fought em' off. Nothing less then a fleet is going to take Toad Town now!"

"Oh yeah!" Luigi replied, leaping up and hi-fiving Toadette. "You know..." he admitted, "I'm really grateful, really. Without you, this never would've happened."

"It's no problem at all, Luigi!" Mailtoad smiled. "I'll bet that in a year, the Mushroom flag'll be flying in every town in the kingdom!"

* * *

Luigi stood on the balcony of Peach's Castle, looking out over the multi-coloured roofs of Toad Town. This was wear he belonged, not hiding away plotting attacks with Fire Flower. If he was going to defeat Bowser, how could he do it as anybody but himself? This was the same fight, just on a larger scale. He'd assemble enough of an army to take on the Koopa Troop before rushing right to Koopa Central and engage Bowser in the duel of a century. Then peace would be restored.

Luigi turned his gaze away from the town to the hills beyond. Clouds lazily drifted through the sky, casting shadows on the tall multi-coloured rocks that dotted the plains. Everything was at peace. Everything was-

There was something on the horizon, and it was getting closer. _No,_ Luigi thought, as he watched it grow closer. It wasn't just one thing...it was several. The shapes were indistinguishable. There were a dozen Koopa Battleships, en route to Toad Town.

By the time Luigi had ran down the stairs, the alarm had already sounded. Toads were rushing every which way. Some were screaming while others tried to keep composure. Luigi desperately looked for some face he recognized. Finally, he saw Toadette near the door, ushering a crowd of Toads in.

"Run for the basement!" she urged them. "You can get to Toad Town Tunnels from there; if worse comes to worse, you can escape the city!"

"It's the Koopas!" Luigi exclaimed, running towards her pushing a Toad out of the way.

"Yes, we know." Toadette said with a dry look. "And they've got enough forces to crush this town, just like they did before."

Luigi suddenly broke away from Toadette, running from the castle. In his mind, the sky was once again dark and fiery, filled with airships and smoke. On that day, in the Battle of Toad Town, everything had ended. And now it was happening again...

"No!" Luigi shouted out loud. He owed it to Mario to stop this! When the Koopas had first come, Toad Town was unguarded and defenceless against the full might of the entire Koopa Kingdom. Now it was ready for war, and even if the new Koopa Troop was stronger then the old, a dozen battleships couldn't equal one thousand of the old airships, could they?

"Luigi, come on!" came a high-pitched voice to his left. It was Billy, his face sweating. "The Koopas are coming, you have to help us!"

"Yeah." Luigi nodded. Even though his heart was pounding, there was no way he was backing out of this. He'd done enough running for a lifetime.

* * *

Luigi stood on the wall, tightly gripping his fists. He gave the town behind him a glance. Hopefully Toadette had managed to heard most of the non-fighters to safety. Her fighting skills were likely far higher then most of the trainees, so she'd be essential to keeping Toad Town defended. Luigi looked back at the ships growing closer. He was so used to imagining the old Koopa airships that he'd forgotten just how huge the new battleships were in comparison, and each one looked like they had enough firepower to blast a mountain to bits. _We have our own ships now,_ Luigi thought. _Wario's headed to Toad Town right now...if he can get here in time..._ But Wario wasn't here. All there was was him, Toadette, and a bunch of Toads who's only fighting experience was against Boom-Boom's weak garrison. Koopa Cruisers were descending to the ground, specially-modified ones which opened up their hulls to deploy tanks and battalions. The Koopas were really going all out on this one.

"Mama mia." he breathed.

* * *

General Flame gripped the armrests of his command seat, a maniacal smile on his face. Toad Town was ripe for the taking, spread out before him like an especially-tantalizing feast! It appeared that the Toads had tried to construct some crude defences, but those would be no match for the glory of the Koopa Empire, especially when guided by his own hand.

"Toad Town's a great deal nicer now that Boom Boom's gone." Blueshell commented, crossing his arms. "The fat fool practically ruined the place."

"It'll be more then ruined when I'm done with it!" Flame exclaimed. He snapped his fingers. "Light em' up, boys."

* * *

The bullet bills hit the wall, filling the air with smoke and flames. The wall shook roughly and Luigi nearly lost his footing. A couple of the Toads screamed.

"Stay calm!" Luigi shouting, hoping to keep it secret how he was practically freaking out himself. Out of the smoke Luigi saw the angry-looking eyes of another bullet bill heading right towards him. "Jump!" he ordered, leaping into the air. It would've been better if he'd had his hammer with him, but for now, his boots would have to do.

Luigi stomped the bullet bill, shorting out it's circuits and knocking it to the ground. He saw a few of the toads around him do the same, although there were a few explosions as some bullet bills found their mark. Luigi hoped the Toads were all right; he and his brother had survived many bullet bill hits back in the day but they were a great deal hardier then the Toads and a direct hit was an extremely painful experience regardless.

By now, the Bill Blasters on the Toad Town wall were firing. As the smoke cleared, Luigi saw Bullet Bills on their side streaking towards the battleships, crashing into them and creating explosions on their hull. Catapults launched dozens of Bob-ombs which fell on the advancing army of Koopa Troops and blew groups of them away. A few hit a tank and smashed a nasty dent into it.

But the Koopa battleships and tanks returned fire. More bullet bills then Luigi could count launched in the direction of Toad Town. Some hit the wall, blasting large chunks out of it, while some aimed for the defenders. Luigi leapt into the air, stomping one, and then bounced off it to smash another, and then another, and then-

With a woosh, a bullet bill narrowly missed Luigi, crashing into a blue Toad House and blowing a chunk of it's roof off with a blast of flame.

"Fire crew, get on it!" he heard Toadbert shout. It seemed like the Toad Brigade had managed to get even some of the Toads who weren't battle-ready able to help. Luigi's feet touched the ground as another group of Bullet Bills whizzed overhead, crashing into some Toad's garden. The scent of burning wood and grass tingled Luigi's nostrils.

By now, the Koopas had reached the wall. The tanks continued to fire, and a huge chunk of wall collapsed into flames, causing the defenders to leap off in fright. "Don't let them get through!" Luigi shouted frantically, as the cannons on the wall fired again. Even as he said it he was running towards the breach.

A trio of Chargin' Chucks led the attack, backed up by Hammer Bros. Luigi met the first one with a stomp, knocking off his football helmet, before finishing him with a punch to the face. The Toads rushed to help him. A green Toad was batted away by one of the Chargin' Chucks, only for another to stomp on him while he was distracted, while Toadette leapt on the other, bouncing off his head to crush one of the hammer bros. Koopa Troopas surged in, some ducking into their shells and launching themselves at the defenders to knock the Toads away.

Billy gave a shout, kicking a Koopa away with a martial arts kick before spinning around and chopping one in the face. Banktoad brought his pickaxe down hard on a Goomba, while Mailtoad grabbed a lit Bob-omb and chucked it through the hole in the wall to explode in the centre of the invaders. Luigi lashed out with his foot, sending a Hammer Bro flying through the air to collapse against a burning Toad House, and leapt over an Ice Bro's pale blue fireball to smack a Paragoomba in the nose. Explosions boomed around him as the catapults send another payload of Bob-ombs over the wall, even as some of the Koopa Empire battleships blew up two of the Toad Town bill-blasters with well-aimed shots.

Luigi leapt back onto the wall as a crowd of defenders moved to plug the leak. Some of the Toads had powered-up with Ice Flowers and were rapidly freezing both the gap and any Koopas who tried to get through in a desperate attempt to prevent any from entering Toad Town. Dodging another Bullet Bill, Luigi looked out at the army invading them.

There seemed to be about five thousand foot soldiers. Far from the largest army ever assembled, yes, but they were still vastly outnumbers. Luigi didn't know the exact number of battle-ready Toads there were, but he estimated they had about three hundred. Even though Koopa Troop training was mediocre at best, every Goomba and Koopa was probably more skilled then his brave band of Toads. He was going to have to be like a thousand of them and turn the tide in this fight.

Luigi gulped, then took a deep breath. Then he leapt off the wall, right into the midst of the enemy army. A Shy Guy screamed as he landed next to him. Luigi wasted no time, stomping a red-shelled Koopa into his shell and kicking him to knock down a whole line of enemies. He ducked under a Magikoopa's enchanted blasts and brought his fist into the chest of a Hammer Bro, sending him flying. Luigi leapt through the air as a group of Spiky Goombas charged him, landing on first a Koopa, then a Shy Guy, then a Wiggler, and then on enemy after enemy, only stopping once a hammer almost caught him right in the head.

"It's still not enough!" he thought. Luigi focused deep, feeling power building within him. Electricity crackled around his body as lightning formed around his fist. "Thunderrrrrrrrr!" he shouted, rushing through the army of Koopa and cleaving through the thickly-placed army lines, knocking enemies of all times out of the way with his lightning-powered fists. A tank loomed before him, and it launched it's bullet bills with a deafening boom. Luigi easily leapt over the missiles, and increased the power of the lightning in his fist so it radiated a blue glow over the heads of the Koopa Troop soldiers around him. Then he plowing into the tank full-force with his fist. There was a blue explosion and the tank was sent flying in several different pieces. Luigi paused to take a breath, before lashing out at the Sledge Bro who was closing in on him.

* * *

General Flame watching the battle from the comfort of his command bridge. He could hear the rumble of cannonfire all around him as his own ship's gun's fired, and bridge shook slightly as one of the Toad Town bill blasters found it's mark. For a tiny city with nobody but Toads to defend it, Toad Town was taking a long time to fall.

It seemed impossible to Flame that his soldiers were being unable to pierce the town. Even in the breach, they were being pushed back. The wall was surprisingly strong, so any further attempts to damage it were going slower than expected. It would fall, though, Flame was sure of that. Fires were popping up on Toad Town like little orange flowers blooming, and more and more Bullet Bills were striking the brightly-coloured houses. All that was in danger in the end was Flame's ego. It would not look so good to his colleges if it took him a week to conquer a rather small town filled with non-fighters, yes, but he'd still do it. It was obvious. Even Luigi would not change anything. They were simply too outnumbered. Eventually they'd run out of soldiers, or else perhaps the town would become so damaged by his continuous bombardment that they'd simply realize it wasn't worth defending anymore.

"Move the fleet closer to the town." Flame ordered. "I want every house on fire...yes, even the castle."

There was another blue explosion on the battlefield as Luigi finished off a second tank. He was starting to become a problem. Why should that bother him, though? Snuffing out problems was his specialty.

"Blueshell, let's go." Flame said to his secretary, standing up. "I'm going to engage Luigi."

There was an irritatingly dry, skeptical look on Blueshell's face. "Ah, General Flame, sir, is that wise?" the boomerang bro asked. "I mean, we all saw the footage, didn't we? That man took on Prince Roy...and one. And, if you would forgive my bluntness, general, you are _not_ Roy Koopa."

Flame sniffed. "No, but that is exactly how I will win." he exclaimed confidently, as his cannons let loose yet another round of Bullet Bills. "Roy was stupid and overconfident. I will not make my mistake. Has nothing happened to my personal Koopa Cruiser, Flare X, in the battle as of yet?"

"Uh, not that I know of, sir." Blueshell replied. "Flare X is in the back of the fleet. I don't think it's been even hit."

"Ahh, good." Flame nodded. "I wouldn't want those prissy Toads messing up my new paint job. I'll take a clown car over to it, right now. It's time to end this in one swift, deadly stroke." with a huge smile on his face, Flame left the bridge, knowing that his moment of glory was now at hand.

* * *

Luigi ducked under a Paratroopa's swoop, before finishing a Boomerang Bro with a lightning-powered fist. Somebody threw a Bob-omb at him, but it fell short, lighting up the battlefield with orange light. Luigi dodged a Magikoopa blast and ran at top speed, going into a long jump to soar over the heads of several Koopa troops, stomping first a Mega Goomba, then a Magikoopa, and finally a Koopa Troopa who's shell he sent spinning in the direction of a squad of Shy Guys. A tank rumbled towards him, firing, but Luigi jumping into the air, bounced off a bullet bill, and but both of his hands together to crush the tank in a lightning-powered slam. Debris flew around him.

Luigi took a deep breath. Fighting like this was tiring. He wasn't sure how long he could keep it up. Luigi glanced behind him. All of Toad Town looked like it was on fire, and Bullet Bills were streaking towards like like comets. He wished he knew how well the defenders were fairing. An enemy bullet bill vaporized one of the catapults, detonating it's haul of Bob-ombs and blowing another hole into the wall. "Oh no!" Luigi shouted, turning around and punching a Shy Guy away. He had to get back there!

"Not so fast, green 'stache!" came a voice from up above.

"Huh?" Luigi spun around to see a Koopa Cruiser descending down towards him until it hovered around six meters above him. Unlike most Koopa Cruisers, it was painted a gaudy bright red.

"You know, I don't think we've been formally introduced." said the speaker, a Fire Bro dressed in a military uniform who was standing on the deck, by the window-screen. It appeared like he was in control of the ship despite not being down in the bridge, so there was probably a secondary control panel up there. "I am General Fortugas Flame, member of Koopa High Command and Governor of the Mushroom Kingdom. I'm afraid this is the last time we will ever meet, because soon you will be dead, courtesy of yours truly." the Fire Bro laughed lightly.

Luigi glared and tightened his fist as he faced down the Koopa Cruiser, with it's huge golden Bowser figurehead. "You aren't the governor of the Mushroom Kingdom any more, Flame." he said. "This kingdom belongs to us now...like it's supposed to!"

Flame seemed to take great offence at the remark. "Oh, really?" he exclaimed. "Have fun ruling your kingdom from the UNDERWHERE!"

Two machine guns lowered from the bottom of the Koopa Cruiser and began to fire at Luigi. He quickly ran, ducking behind a tank for cover. The Koopa Cruiser flew over him with a roar of it's engines, and more guns popped out of the side of it's hull, launching fireballs at Luigi. One nearly scorched his leg, but missed by an inch, and Luigi backflipped to dodge the other.

"My Flare X is the next generation of military technology." Flame said proudly. "I had the folks at Koopa Central custom make it, just for me. Don't you feel the _despair,_ Luigi?"

"Not at all!" Luigi shot back. His heart was pounding and he was afraid, really afraid for Toad Town, but despair was one emotion he wasn't feeling. Believing the people of Toad Town couldn't somehow manage to pull through would be betraying everything he stood for. Besides, when he'd been beat within an inch of his life by Roy Koopa, could he really be scared of some loud shouting Fire Bro flying a red Koopa Cruiser with guns?

" _I'll change your mind!"_ Flame shouted, bringing the Flare X around so it was facing Luigi. He gripped the controls with a maniacal expression on his face, the front guns firing as he angled it downwards as if to ram him. Luigi leapt over the bullets and on to the nose of the Bowser figurehead, scrambling up it before leaping over Flame and onto the deck. Flame gave a little shriek as he turned around to face Luigi. "I didn't say you could do that!" he fussed, hurling a fireball at him.

Luigi effortlessly ducked underneath it, sliding across the deck until he was closer to Flame. With a solid punch, Luigi sent the general reeling against the windshield. "Take your army away from here." Luigi said, putting on his best "threatening" face as the battle continued to rage around him, bullet bills flying left and right. Flame made a sheepish face.

"Afraid I can't to that, green stache'." He chuckled. "See, when you've got such a big advantage in battle, you'd be a coward to run away now, right?"

He moved to punch Luigi with a fiery fist, but Luigi dodged and grabbed Flame, throwing him to the ground. "You're-a not going to get me like that!" he exclaimed.

A second later, something out of his field of view went flying through the air and smacking him clean between the eyes. Unprepared for the sudden attack, Luigi was sent flying off the deck. He slid down the polished red hull of the Flare X and landed painfully on the ground.

"Must I do everything myself?" came an irritated voice.

"Please don't try to steal the glory, Blueshell." Flame replied crossly.

Luigi got to his feet and brushed the dirt off his overalls. The boomerang had given him a bruise, but that was nothing. Luigi gathered electric energy around his fists. If he could take out the commander of the invasion...maybe this would stop!

"Let's heat him up with our Missile Bills!" Flame exclaimed, pressing a button. The mouth on the Bowser head opened and four red-coloured Bullet Bills fired out, locking on to Luigi. Luigi began to run, focusing power into his fists until they felt ready to burst. Then, as the missile bills were closing in, Luigi leapt through the air.

He punched into the Flare X, his body covered in a blue air, and smashed out the other side like an arrow through paper. Behind him, the missile bills struck the ship, exploding as Luigi guided his fall, gracefully landing on his feet. The smoking Flare X shook unsteadily.

"Now look what you've done!" Flame exclaimed, rushing over to the side to look at Luigi. "Do you know how much this thing cost?"

"Uh, I don't know...but you won't have to worry about getting a new one if you stop right here!" Luigi shouted. Snappy comebacks weren't really his thing; he was used to having Mario around to provide those.

Flame grinned devilishly. "Ah, but you see, Luigi..." he smiled. "Even if you destroy the Flare X completely and reduce it to scrap metal, you still will not win the battle. I have thousands of troops. Once I earn the honour of being the man to finally sniff out the last of the people's loyalty to Princess Peach and the Mario brothers, Emperor Bowser will award me personally. I'll have the seat of Grand General within a year and enough money to buy a fleet of Flare Xs complete with a brand-new flagship big enough to stick to dwarf your city!"

"He's actually right." the Boomerang Bro beside him commented. "I mean, I dunno about the flagship part, but this army will definitely beat yours because you simply don't have enough forces to make any dent on us. Even if you manage to repel us day after day, you'll get tired eventually, and then we'll come in."

Luigi paused. The Boomerang Bro (Blueshell, he'd heard Flame name him), was right. He was the only defender of Toad Town strong enough to pose a real threat to the Koopas. His Toads had surpassed all expectations, but they were still a far cry from him and his brother. Even if Cobal had been here, it still wouldn't have been enough...

Suddenly Luigi heard a large crash behind him.

"Uh, sir, we've got company." Blueshell said bluntly.

"Huh?!" Flame exclaimed.

There were crashes and explosions sounding all around the battlefield. Luigi turned around. W...what was happening? Had he somehow drifted off into the Dream World or was that...Donkey Kong?

The huge ape ran to a tank, lifting it with his huge arms and hurling it halfway across the battlefield. Beside him Luigi saw the old partner of Mario's, Lady Bow, smacking a Hammer Bro with her fan while a purple woman who seemed to be made out of clouds blew away dozens of Koopa minions with a gust of wind. His white cape flapping in the wind, Prince Peasley took out a score of flying ememies, while on the ground a shadow-like girl made a tank explode into fire while a trio of muscular Kremlings brawled koopa after koopa behind her.

Luigi was so shocked he found that he couldn't move. A parakoopa swept above him in his shell, darting up to one of the huge battleships hovering above the battlefield and taking out it's turrets one by one. Flame gave a terrified shout and Luigi glanced around. Behind the Koopa fleet, there was a _second_ fleet approaching, one with brightly-coloured ships and a shining gold star figurehead! The fleet opened fire, striking the Koopa battleships before they had time to react.

The newcomers moved closer, plowing through the minions. Luigi heard somebody land next to him.

"Heh heh, long time no see, Big L." came a familiar voice.

Luigi's eyes widened. There he was; blue skin, leather jacket, and now sporting some dark shades that completed the look – his first pupil, Cobal the delinquent Yoshi.

"Y...you're ok!" was all Luigi could say as the chaos unfolded around him.

Cobal shrugged. "Stuff happened." he said. "To cut a long story short, I sort of led a jailbreak on the empire's maximum security prison. Guess you're glad to see some of those old faces again, eh?"

"I...I..." Luigi stammered.

"You are both so dead!" Flame shouted from atop the Flare X.

Cobal glanced at him. "Hey, aren't you the governor who did that stupid show back in Mushroom City? I'd forgotten you were still a thing."

Flame looked like somebody who's entire life had just been insulted. "Oh, yes, go ahead and insult me." he said. "You'll be dead in a moment, so why does it matter?"

Cobal turned to Luigi. "Luigi, can we take this guy?" he asked.

Luigi nodded. It filled his heart with new hope seeing Cobal assertive and strong like this...and the thought of all the heroes being released...this was a new dawn for the resistance, that was for sure. "Yeah, he's weak." he said. "Bet you've faced worse by now, right?"

"Oh, you wouldn't know half of it." Cobal replied.

Together, the two of them leapt onto the deck of the Flare X. Blueshell instantly backed away, while Flame flared a fireball in his hand. Cobal licked it up with his tongue and spit it away into the air cockily. "Still want to do this, Governor Sparkles?" he smirked.

"Sir, I believe it's best we make a strategic retreat." Blueshell advised calmly. "With the strength of our new opponents and the enemy fleet at our rear, we are now at a disadvantage. If we don't leave right now, sir, I'm afraid you'll lose more then your colleagues' respect."

Flame ground his teeth. "Y...you'll pay for this, Luigi, blue Yoshi, and all you stinking, filthy Toads!" he shouted, drawing a remote from his coat and pressing it. Before Luigi could do anything, two Clown Cars appeared and picked him and Blueshell up, carrying them into the sky.

"Uh...all right then." Luigi said, he and Cobal now alone on the deck of the Flare X. The battle continued to rage around them, Bob-ombs and Bullet Bills exploding on each side, but as far as Luigi was concerned, the battle was already won. "There are so many things I want to ask you, but now isn't the time, is it?" he said. The depression he had felt after learning what Fire Flower truly was had been completely washed away. Cobal, the person who he had passed his skills onto, had become a person who he and Mario could be proud of. He'd obviously gone through quite some stuff (last he'd heard from him, he'd been drafted into the Koopa Troop and was trying to infiltrate it, although obviously that wasn't the case anymore). What mattered was that Cobal was back and during his time gone, had struck the Koopa Empire a blow they'd never recover from.

"No, definitely not the right time." Cobal agreed as a tank launched a bullet bill at the wall. Luigi hoped Flame would withdraw the troops soon, but it certainly wasn't a bad idea to give him some extra convincing. "Hey, wanna go kick some shells with me, old man?" Cobal asked, as he and Luigi faced over the battlefield. As they leapt from the damaged Flare X, both of them knew that the Second Battle of Toad Town was almost over...and this time, the victory wouldn't go to Bowser.


	38. Seven Stars

**Chapter Thirty-Eight: Seven Stars**

A Koopa Cruiser flew over the ocean, the orange light from the setting sun reflecting off it's blue hull. The ocean was smooth, with scarcely a wave upon it's surface, as the Koopa Cruiser traveled above it, the sound of it's engine cutting through the tranquil silence.

Skallz Fortiscule stood on the bridge, his arms crossed. A Koopa Troopa wearing an old-fashioned flight hat held the wheel, his eyes glazed over and his movements stiff as he dutifully guided the Koopa Cruiser to it's destination without any unnecessary conversation.

Skallz was feeling vaguely troubled as he stared out of the main window over the flat, endless ocean. The mass jailbreak from Stoneshell Prison had been something nobody had predicted. This Cobal was a wild card, somebody Seven Stars hadn't accounted for. Come to think of it, even Luigi himself was a wild card. He'd been presumed dead since the Battle of Toad Town, and nobody had thought to check since. _Corrections must be made,_ he thought to himself. An organization with such scale and resources as Seven Stars could afford setbacks, but they were going to have to make some moves to account for the new pieces that had entered the game. He was en route to Headquarters right at this moment, to inform the Grand Star of the circumstances. Everything would fall into place...as it always did.

It was a long flight to Headquarters. Skallz had no companion but the rumbling of the engine; the pilot wasn't one to make noise. It gave him time to think as he looked over the ocean, dyed a brilliant mix of orange and lavender in the sunset. His journey had been a long one, but things were finally about to pay off.

It only seemed like yesterday when he'd been a teenager in the Shy Guy Bazaar, an orphan who had never had anybody to care for him but had earned a reputation in the streets and slums for being ruthless. When he'd been younger he'd have to fight with the other beggars for food that he stole himself, but as the years went by, he got bolder and they'd learned to fear him. When Skallz had chanced to break into an elderly Magikoopa's home and steal a scroll containing the knowledge necessary to use an ancient form of magic known as the Sun's Amber Eyes, that had been the first step in dragging himself out of the slums and into power. He'd trained relentlessly; with no mentor and no prior magical experience, even today Skallz was not sure if he was using the Sun's Amber Eyes correctly, but that no longer bothered him. It had made him a force to be reckoned with...somebody who had caught the eye of the King and the Commoner.

Skallz had not known why they had come to Shy Guy Bazaar, but it had been a meeting that had changed his life forever. They saw potential in him...potential to be more then the toughest thief in the slums. They had brought him to their organization, Seven Stars...all of this had happened more then sixty years ago. The potions brewed in the depths of Seven Stars' labs kept him young and fresh. But while his body had not changed, the same could not be said for Seven Stars. The King had betrayed the organization decades ago, and was long dead. Skallz hadn't mourned him; he didn't think he'd ever mourn anyone. People, to him, were either to be respected or feared, never loved. That was the way it had always been for him.

A thick fog began to gather over the ocean, until Skallz could scarcely see where he was going. He knew he was getting close.

There was a small pop and the flight cap on the Koopa floated off his head, transforming with a puff of smoke into a white top hat with eyes. "Are you still doing this, Skallz? How many more people are you going to kill?" the inhabitant of the Cap Kingdom asked intensely.

Skallz smiled. "Be quiet, Cappy." he urged. "You should know by now that that doesn't trouble me. Life is life. We all live, we all die. It doesn't matter to me when I die, and it doesn't matter to me when you die. I could kill you right now and not feel a thing, but of course I wouldn't do that, because you're useful to me right now. You need to fly me to Headquarters."

Cappy sighed. The ghostly hat looked deeply disgusted, but he always looked that way when Skallz spoke about those kind of things. He was a former ally of Mario, Skallz had heard, but that didn't really matter. It was only coincidence that two had even met. The Cap Kingdom had been owned by Seven Stars for years, closed off to all foreigners except at trading ports like Bonneton. People usually paid it no interest...except for when Bowser had attacked them to kidnap a cap ghost of a tiara and Mario chanced to fall down to Bonneton. After that whole adventure had been over, Cappy had come home and Seven Stars made extra sure that nobody would come in or get out of the Cap Kingdom. It was essential, of course.

The Koopa Cruiser broke through the mist, revealing the lights of Cap Kingdom. They were shining golden from the tall, hat-topped towers of the city, skyscrapers that zigzagged in otherworldly ways. The Koopa Cruiser began to go into a landing. It was a handy way to travel, since Koopa Troop patrols didn't pay you much attention. The Cap Kingdom was considered part of Sector Three, but it belonged to the Koopa Empire only in name. Oh, the fleets had shown up at the Cap Kingdom's doorstep all right, but Seven Stars had dealt with them and commanded Cap Ghosts to take over the minds of the survivors. The Koopas thought they had one that battle, and even the members of High Command believed that the Cap Kingdom was nothing more then a simple imperial territory. The controlled members reported peaceful-sounding things to their superiors over on Isle Delphino, and nobody gave much thought to the situation.

The Koopa Cruiser came to a halt on the landing strip. Cappy popped up from the Koopa's head again to give one final jab. "Even if Mario is dead, other people will stop you." he insisted. "The Koopas haven't crushed everyone!"

Skallz chuckled softly. "I appreciate your optimism, Cappy, but you've never seen me go all out." With that, he left the bridge and Cappy behind.

* * *

The capital city of the Cap Kingdom had a cool climate, and it always seemed to be foggy, rainy, or windy. Despite that, it was quite the city, one of the most beautiful Skallz had ever been in. The streetlamps cast a mystifying golden glow on the fog around them, and the architecture was elegant and refined. The cap people seemed to live rather content lives despite the restrictions Seven Stars placed upon them, although Skallz had never really cared too much for them. They could go about buying and selling, going on dates and raising children, growing old and dying...mundane things for mundane people. Skallz Fortiscule considered himself anything but mundane.

A few decades ago, Skallz reflected as he walked down the black brick sidewalk, some of the ghostly inhabitants of the city floating by him, the Cap Kingdom had had a Prime Minister. He'd been some pompous fellow, a big top hat who looked like he'd been made of velvet. Skallz had killed him, of course. The Grand Star often got him to do the dirty work. It was a job he did gladly, even enjoyed at times. The thrill of taking a life was nearly as exciting as the thrill of real, genuine danger, although the latter wasn't something Skallz had experienced since his days back at the Shy Guy Bazaar. Back all those years ago, Skallz never would've thought much of the man who led Seven Stars, since he'd been quite overshadowed by his companion, the King. But in time it had become abundantly clear that the Commoner had been the superior of the two. That was why, now, so many years later, the King was dead and the Commoner was about to bring upon the next, perfect age of world history.

Skallz stopped at an ordinary apartment house with a hat-shaped knocker. He paused for a moment, letting the hat release a scanner that confirmed his identity, before opening the door. Contrary to what one would expect, it did not open into an apartment. This entire apartment building, in fact, was empty, although it was still lit so as not to seem too suspicious. The front door led to a small room made of dark purple metal. Skallz closed the door behind him and pressed a button. Slowly, the floor began to descend.

Skallz rode the elevator down for about ten minutes, and then two metal doors slid upon to allow passage to the hallway beyond. The hallway was made of the same dark purple metal and there were so adjourning doors to it, along with a few Seven Stars members dressed in the uniforms and visors that they were all required to wear. They were all colour-coded to their division; he saw a silver uniform, two blue ones, and a yellow. As Skallz passed them, they stood stiffly at attention.

At the end of the hallway, Skallz stepped into a room like a man-made gorge, more then a mile across and stretching down so far the end was not even in sight. Hundreds of levels surrounded the gorge, each stacked up on top of each other and connected by several thin bridges that spanned the endless gap. Thousands of brightly-coloured Seven Stars members were walking both on the bridges and on the walkways that ringed the gap, going to and fro on various duties and walking into and coming out of the countless corridors that opened up into the huge central chamber. Skallz strode to the railing and looked over the sight, so unimaginably large that a more narrow-minded person, if told of it's existence, might even believe they were being told a lie. This was the power of Seven Stars...all-powerful and invincible, always in the shadows and never outsmarted. To think that he, Skallz Fortiscule, was one of it's top leaders...my, how he'd come up in the world.

"Ah, Purple Star!" came a voice to Skallz's right. He turned to see a black-scaled Kremling with a silver trench-coat approaching him, smiling with his toothy mouth. "It's been a while since you've been at Headquarters, hasn't it been?"

"Sthnadlash." Skallz addressed the Kremling curtly. Sthnadlash sat on the Board of Directors with the title of Silver Star, but he was the youngest of them all and lacked experience...or, as it seemed, common sense. "Please tell me...are you still feeling the sores from when that Yoshi and his friends made a fool of you on your own ship?"

Sthnadlash scowled. Skallz trusted that the other board members had given him to end of trouble, as well. "It was a mistake!" he hissed. "I-"

"We're not supposed to make mistakes." Skallz said lightly. "Now, I'm not interested in talking to you right now. Where is the Grand Star?"

Sthnadlash seemed to regain his composure. "He's in the Sanctum, like he usually is at this hour. Don't you think-"

"I know exactly what I think." Skallz replied. "Thank you for your help, Silver Star. Do brush up on your analysis of opponents. If you had fought seriously, you could've killed them all and this whole business would be done with."

Skallz left the Kremling to ponder his thoughts and made his way to one of the base's many elevators, passing several agents along the way. Once inside the elevator, Skallz set it to take him to Floor 256, one of the very deepest. The entrance to the base he'd taken opened up on Floor 5, but all the really important rooms were near the bottom, so deep that even the explosion of a Nuclear Bob-omb wouldn't scratch them.

It was darker on the lower levels, although everything was still lit by low purple lights. There were less agents on this floor too, although there were a few Skallz walked past on his way to the corridor leading into the Sanctum. Most wore the orange uniforms of the Grand Star's personal guard. Once Skallz made his way to the corridor, he found himself blocked by a large door. A small scanner peeked out of it and scanned his eye, before the doors opened to admit Skallz into yet another empty hallway. They shut behind him.

As Skallz walked down the hallway, mechanical arms came from the wall, Skallz unbuttoned his white suit to let them take it and dropped his pants down to around his ankles, until his body was only covered by his red shell. The mechanical arms twisted around him, taking a skin sample, a fingerprint sample, and a sample of his shell. The arms retreated back into the wall, giving Skallz his clothes back. Skallz put them on, smoothed down his suit, and adjusted his hat.

"IDENTITY CONFIRMED: SKALLZ FORTISCULE. RANK: PURPLE STAR."

With a rumble, the huge doors at the end of the hallway slid open, and Skallz walked into the Sanctum.

It was a huge room, and mostly bare. The orange lights on the purple floors and ceilings gave it a similar colour to the sunset. Skallz felt small as he walked to the centre of the room, where a man, bathed in shadows from the dim orange lit, stood looking at the massive amber crystal that filled the end of the room.

The crystal stretched from the floor and halfway up the ceiling, being the only point of interest in the entire room. Advanced medical equipment surrounded it, tubes sticking into the crystal and pumping countless mixtures into the motionless figure trapped in it's centre.

In the crystal's centre was Mario, frozen in the exact same pose he'd held before the bullet bills had struck him, the tubes sticking into several parts of his body as the liquid flowed in to him, same as it had for year after year.

Skallz knelt on the cold metal floor before the shadowy figure who stood, watching Mario. "Grand Star." he said respectfully. "I have news. There has been some...unfortunate developments. I trust Sthnadlash has already informed you of his mishap, but the blue yoshi has become even more troublesome. He's freed several prisoners...people who we already believed to be out of the calm."

"Quiet, Skallz." the Grand Star's voice was low and calm, and carried throughout the entire room. There was a sort of power to it, power that commanded both respect and fear. "Do not fear it. These men and woman that have been freed, this yoshi and his allies...they may fight, they may destroy, they may even set is back, but that does not change reality. I have been informed of most of this already. There will be no major alternations to the plan."

Skallz breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you." he said. "Do you believe we are nearing the end of it?"

"It has been a long road, Skallz Fortiscule." came the voice of the Grand Star. "But yes. The Koopa Empire. Luigi's resistance. Fire Flower. The Neo Empire. All of these forces are about to collide and when they do...all will, at long last, be silent."

The Grand Star turned and began to walk towards Skallz. He cast a long shadow over the ground as the light fell upon him.

The Grand Star was a human, and what struck Skallz was just his similar he looked to Luigi. They were relatively the same height...perhaps the Grand Star was a little taller, and they had the same moustache and large nose. The Grand Star's face was lined and hard, however...even with Seven Star's age-freezing formulas, he still didn't look any younger then his late fifties. The Grand Star wore an open orange trench-coat over a plain black shirt and pants. On his head was an orange hat much like the ones the Mario brothers wore, and on it in the place of the "M" or "L" was the letter "A".

"Tell me, Skallz...have you heard of the Star Children?" The Grand Star asked as he continued to walk forward, his footsteps echoing around the vast chamber.

"Yes, you've mentioned them before, Antonio." Skallz replied.

"Seven children, with destinies and power that set them above all others." Antonio said, with a gaze at Mario in the crystal. "Children, who, as adults, would determine the course of the world. In time, they would pass their legacy to others...Bowser, to his children, Luigi, to this blue yoshi...and of course, my beautiful Red Star passed his legacy to all the friends and companions he made throughout his eventful life. This world is controlled by extra-ordinary people, Skallz. And when extra-ordinary people come to blows, the entire world shakes."

"As you yourself proved when you duelled our traitorous former member, King Morton." Skallz replied.

Antonio nodded. "The First Koopa War changed the destinies of the two kingdoms." he said, turning around with a swish of his coat to look back at the crystal. "Much like the war against the Shadow Queen changed the world, bringing an end to one of the world's most prosperous kingdoms. This world is teetering on an edge, Skallz Fortiscule. Incredibly powers of both darkness and light, each wielded by individuals. But that era is almost at an end, Skallz." he tightened his hand into a fist, bathed in the amber glow of the room's lights as he stared at Mario's crystal. "Everything has been leading up to this final event. On that day, I shall strike the stars above and the darkness below, and most of all, the seven Star Children and their disciples. There will be an end to the extra-ordinary...and balance and peace will finally reign."

"A day we all look forward too, Grand Star Antonio." Skallz replied. He personally didn't care about all that, he just enjoyed the excitement. The journey was more important than the destination.

"You have no idea how much I have sacrificed for this day to come." Antonio said. His voice betrayed no emotion; it was as calm and authoritative as always. "My chance to know my boys...my chance to be acknowledged as the hero of the First Koopa War...well, I suppose one of those will be corrected. The process is almost complete. Soon, my Red Star will join us at the table."

"An enjoyable thought, to be sure." Skallz nodded, although the prospect was a bit unnerving. Mario, the hero respected throughout the entire world, who was thought to be dead...Skallz's personal skills had come in handy there. Yes, Mario had been struck by many Bullet Bills and probably would've died, had it not been for Skallz, who, on Antonio's orders, had retrieved the body. Everybody had simply thought Mario had been vaporized by the sheer force of fifty consecutive Bullet Bill explosions. That very well could've happened if it hadn't have been for him. Soon, however, Mario would be out of his stasis and take his seat on the Board of Directors. He even had his own division trained up, Seven Stars Agents in red uniforms.

"The entire world has been moving towards this one moment, Skallz." said Antonio, looking back at him with his ice-blue eyes. "When I murdered Queen Lavaria Koopa all those years ago, I set my children and Morton's brat on a course of conflict all for this own purpose. They've all played into my hands perfectly." Antonio walked towards Skallz, who rose to meet him. "Very soon, things will come to an end." he said calmly. "When all of the forces that determine the power in this world...all of the extra-ordinary individuals come together...that is when IT will happen." a small smile played at the corner of Antonio's lips. "The silence of a peaceful world will be beautiful, won't it, Skallz?"

Skallz did not reply, as it sounded rather boring to him. Once their plan was completed, he'd have to take a trip off-planet, most likely...or perhaps even travel to another dimension somehow if Antonio's plan was as far-reaching as it seemed. Of course, he wasn't one to worry about things like that when there were still things to do and people to kill. On the subject of killing, in fact, there was something that was grating on Skallz' nerves.

"Antonio...I confess..." Skallz admitted, "These Star Children and their allies...they will fight against you, you know. We can't hope they'll all be wiped out fighting each other, and there is, however unlikely, a chance that they could, in fact, stop the Event."

The room was silent for a moment. The Antonio struck. It happened in a split-second and even an expert fighter like Skallz was unable to react. Antonio had grabbed him by the collar. A knife made of red-hot flame that looked surprisingly solid slid out of his wrist, just barely grazing Skallz's throat.

"Oh, that's less than unlikely, Skallz Fortiscule." Antonio said calmly.

"Why, Grand Star?"

Antonio smiled. "Why, because to do that, they'd actually have to defeat me."


	39. A Brand New Horizon

**Chapter Thirty-Nine: A Brand New Horizon**

Fireworks boomed above Toad Town, dying the sky with multi-coloured sparkles. The wrecks of destroyed Koopa tanks still littered the Mushroom Plains and many Toad Houses bore the scars of the recent attack, but that was something to worry about tomorrow. This was a night for celebration.

The great table in Princess Peach's dining hall was packed, it's chandeliers ablaze. Outside of the windows, Luigi could see still more townspeople celebrating outside of the castle. This victory was almost as great as the one which had forced out the Koopa Troop for the first time, because it had proved that the people of the Mushroom Kingdom could keep what they took back. They weren't just a minor inconvenient bug to squash for the forces of the Koopa Empire.

Peach's Castle hadn't seen a feast this great since Mario and the Princess' wedding banquet, which seemed like an eternity ago. The table was filled with golden dishes on which were packed with cakes and pies, grilled Cheep Cheep (the non-talking variety, of course) and roast beef drenched in gravy. Of course in honour of Luigi there was enough pasta to feed a town, with pasta dripping down the pile of noodles like lava pouring from a volcano. That wasn't even half of the courses that covered the table, and in the glass by Luigi's side, there was sparkling red Chuckola Cola; not the weak, knock-off cola he'd gotten at the bar when he'd been depressed, but the Chuckola Cola from Mushroom Kingdom, taken straight from Governor Flame's secret stash. It was only fitting that they'd drink it on the day that Flame himself had been defeated.

Luigi sat at the high seat, which was strange for him. He'd never been to a feast where Princess Peach _hadn't_ sat at the head of the table. " _I'll find you, princess."_ Luigi thought to himself as he took a bite of the spaghetti. It was as good as he'd ever had it, cooked by the exceptional Tayce T (and the army of eager assistants who'd had leant their help to the ancient Toad so she wouldn't be stuck preparing for the feast all on her own). " _One day, you're going to be back in your kingdom."_

On Luigi's right hand sat Cobal, laughing and telling the stories of his adventures to the Toad Brigade, a glass of Chuckola Cola in his hand.

"When the black Kremling summoned _another_ sword, I totally thought we were finished." Cobal laughed. "But no...who should come blasting in but ol' K Rool?"

"What, really?" Billy exclaimed, nearly dropping his fork. "The old croc!?"

"Yeah, that's the one." Cobal said, smirking. "He came in guns blazing, blowing out the entire front window of the enemy's bridge! Now that gave Mr. Silver Star something to worry about!"

"Hey, who would've thought you'd do something heroic in the end, huh?" Donkey Kong chuckled, clapping King K Rool on the back. The Kremling king was eating a tantalizing banana split with surprisingly dainty manners.

"Oh, shut up." K Rool hissed, taking another bite of bananas.

"That's our boss." General Klump laughed warmly, biting off a huge chunk of meat from a leg of lamb. "He might act tough, but he's a real softie. Why do yah think he prefers bananas over meat?"

"If you don't stop talking right now, I'm going to turn _you_ into meat." K Rool growled, giving Klump a gaze that would make even the most hardened soldier weep.

"Hey, guys, let's give a cheer for-a me, Wario!" Wario laughed, sending up some of his garlic-tainted breath and making the Toads near him grimace. "If it hadn't have been for the ol' boy and his airships, ya'll still would've been toast!"

"Hooray for Wario!" Toadette shouted happily. This was the first time she'd said anything other than talking to Captain Toad all throughout the feast. Luigi had even witnessed the two Toads kiss one or two times. It warmed his heart that his actions had led to the two long-lost lovers being reunited once again.

"Yeah, yeah, Wario time!" Wario shouted, beginning to shovel large amounts of food into his mouth in an extremely messy fashion.

"Slow down, bro, slow down." Waluigi said as he fastidiously took a bite of his caviar.

Luigi smiled and leaned back on his chair, looking back at the people feasting. There were Mario's old partners; including Cobal's father, ex-glitz pit champion Great Gonzales Jr...the Kongs, even old Toadsworth who looked in high spirits as he conversed with a red-capped Toad who Luigi knew had been a former Mushroom Retainer of the princess. The whole gang looked back together...save for Mario, Yoshi, Daisy and tPrincess Peach of course. Well...no 1-up Mushroom could bring Mario back, Luigi knew, but Yoshi was still out there and while nobody knew if Peach was alive, nobody knew if she was dead, either. And as for Daisy...Luigi hadn't heard anything of his former love, even though he heard that Sarasaland hadn't suffered much under the Koopa regime thanks to the easygoing nature of it's ruler, Morton Koopa Jr. Perhaps she was still safe. One could always hope.

With a sip of sparkling Chuckola Cola, Luigi washed away his fears for a day and began to enjoy the celebration of victory. He had earned it.

* * *

Bowser Jr stood on ramparts of Bowser's Castle, his hair flapping in the wind. Before him stood the surprisingly elegant Flame City, with it's canals of lava and red-roofed manors with walled gardens...and above the city hovered the largest armada assembled since the conquest of the Metro Kingdom.

There were over one thousand battleships, neatly arraigned in formation, with his own fleet making up the centre and Lemmy's and Iggy's on either side. The sun broke through the thick dark cloud cover, glinting off the polished cannons.

"This is it!" Bowser Jr announced, raising his arms and speaking to his siblings beside him. "With this fleet, I'm gonna smash the Neo Empire!"

"Heh, it's about time." Iggy chuckled, cracking his knuckles. "Those upstarts deserve an explosive rainfall."

"It does seem sad, though..." Lemmy remarked, glancing at Bowser Jr with concerned eyes. Bowser Jr looked at his brother, ready to listen to what he had to say. While the smallest of the Koopalings no longer acted like a child, he was still sweet and kind compared to his siblings. "I mean..." he continued. "Ludwig, Roy, Larry and Wendy were always irritating, but we had some good times, too!" he looked up at the fleet, which seemed to stretch to the horizon, an invincible display of the Koopa Empire's might. "I remember my eighth birthday...Ludwig cooked up this special ball in my lab that was twice as bouncy as my previous ones..."

"Yeah, and Larry and I used to prank Kamek and Kammy all the time." Iggy reminisced nostalgically, adjusting his glasses. "He was a great guy, even though he wouldn't hesitate to sell us out."

"I know." said Bowser Jr, lowering his head and closing his eyes. Memories flashed through his head...Ludwig showing off the new Clown Car upgrades he'd built, Roy teaching him how to throw a punch...stealing pancakes from the castle kitchen with Larry...shopping for the brand-new remote-control airship at the Neo Bowser City mega-mall with Wendy...even though they'd conspired to against him and his dad, Bowser Jr still loved all of them. He didn't get any pleasure from this, and yet...it had to be done. He had to do this for his father, and for the empire.

Bowser Jr opened his eyes. "Let's get going." he said. "It's time to put an end to this."


	40. Neo Empire

**Chapter Forty: Neo Empire**

 _I hope I'll be posting a lot more frequenting here on out. Hold on to the edge of your seats!_

* * *

Ludwig sat in his comfortable leather command seat. The bridge of his brand-new Airship Mk. III, the _Sapphire Light,_ was bathed in the blue glow of the floating holographic screens. The bridge had a smooth design with a massive window that took up the entire front and stretched across some of the walls and roof, made of glass reinforced by spells. The bridge sat at the top of a tower raised above the rest of the ship, giving Ludwig a view over the sleek battleship, built of shiny blue metal and dotted with turrets. These weren't the primitive Bill Blasters that the Koopa Troop had been using since the First Koopa War. These were new weapons, a combination of his own genius and the advanced technology of the alien Shroobs. The _Sapphire Light_ had never seen battle before, nor had any of the other new warships, but that was soon about to change.

Ludwig lounged with his head propped up against his fist. His crew members sat on their seats, working the futuristic controls and looking at reports coming up on holographic displays which hung in the air. Ludwig sat above it all on a slightly raised platform, his dark eyes glittering.

Ludwig pressed a button on the armrest of his chair. A hologram popped up before him; the face of his brother, Larry Koopa.

"Larry." Ludwig said. There was a hungry smile on his face, full of anticipation. How could it not be? This was the day when he'd finally show his pathetic father and siblings that he was the true master, the true person destined to sit the koopa throne. Everyone would fear him; even Luigi, who had beat him several times during his youth, and Seven Stars, who he'd slighted despite all the help they had given him in beginning his revolution. "Are your agents in place?"

Larry smirked, his pale blue eyes glittering. Ludwig knew that look. It was the look his little brother always had when he'd plotted something especially devious. "Oh, they're in place, all right." Larry chuckled. "I sure hope Bowser Jr likes fireworks."

* * *

Larry Koopa sat, snug in his Koopa Clown Car. Around him, the wind whistled around him. Larry had never liked using the small personal aircrafts in the open sky. Small distances were nothing, yes, but he'd never understood how his father had flown the entire distance between the Mushroom and Koopa kingdoms in just a single clown car.

The wind, of course, was far from the greatest problem Larry was faced with. Only a few miles for him, Larry was faced with what was probably the hugest fleet of airships he'd ever seen. They seemed to stretch from each end of the sky and back to the very horizon, each one covered in turrets and Bill Blasters. Flags flew from their tops; Iggy, Lemmy, Bowser Jr.

Even Larry had to admit he was impressed. A fleet this big, commanded by more likely than not the brightest minds from High Command, could put an end to the Neo Empire without a doubt. Sure, they had a chance. Ludwig's new models of airship and his mechs were each worth three Koopa Battleships and that wasn't even counting the older fleets that the four Sectors could amass. Still, regardless of who'd win, it would be a war that would last several years. Should the war drag on, both sides exhausted, and then Bowser himself decide to join the fray...the Neo Empire would be crushed. The Koopa Central Elite Force had a fleet larger than any single district, commanded by the Grand General himself. Naturally, neither he nor Ludwig wanted to take that risk.

Larry pressed a button on his Clown Car's control panel, closing his communications with Ludwig. The sounds of engines and propellers filled his ears as the massive armada drew closer. He was so inconspicuous they hadn't noticed him yet, but they easily could soon, and if they did he was as good as dead. The risk was part of the fun, of course.

Larry opened communications with Koops. His general looked even more melancholy than usual. He was probably aching to join his former companions, who'd supposedly been released from Stoneshell Prison earlier. That, and an ex-companion of Mario's probably would object to the operation they were running here.

"Everything ship-shape, Koops?"

Koops sighed. "Yeah...yeah, it is." he said, before looking up at Larry. "Your highness, is-"

"Nah, there's no other way." Larry chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "What, did you think I was about to give this all up out of the kindness of my heart, Koopsy? Man, you haven't learnt a thing. You're a very tiresome general, you know."

"Then dismiss me." Koops shrugged.

Larry smiled cruelly. "What, and let you go running to your friends. No, I need the strength of a guy who's fought the Shadow Queen on my side, thank you very much. You're still General Koops, my friend, and all it takes is a snap of my fingers to snuff your family's little lives out."

Koops hung his head. "I understand, your highness." Koops replied. "I got a call from the Shy Bandit just five minutes ago. He and the rest of the Anti Guy squads have finished placing the bombs."

Larry nodded. "Enjoy the rest of the day, Koops. Go throw a party or something. When my big bro's the emperor he might even make this day a holiday for all we know."

The hologram of Koops disappeared. Larry took a moment to savour Bowser Jr's fleet. It was a beautiful sight. Such an assembly of Koopa Troop power hadn't ever been seem since his father had called the entire army together to march on Toad Town in what would begin their worldwide conquest. Three of his brothers were probably flying towards him right now, dreaming of the day they'd drag their traitorous siblings before the throne of Emperor Bowser and get them to plead for forgiveness. It was...well, it was just a little hilarious.

Larry pressed the button.

The entire sky lit up orange. Flames flashed over the clouds as burning wood and dented cannons hurtled through the air. A flag bearing Bowser Jr's emblem blew past Larry, burning away into ashes. Ship after ship blew into flames, blooming like orange flowers, their figureheads cracking and melting. For everything ship that was still enact, three around it were exploding, showing their neighbours with with debris. Even though it was midday, the entire sky was tinted a brilliant amber as if sunset.

"Man, it's too bad Junior and I were on opposite sides." Larry remarked, watching the spectral enfold. "With that Magic Paintbrush of his and a big enough canvass, this would've made one pretty picture."

* * *

The _Sapphire Light_ continued forward on it's journey. Ludwig could see more ships flanking it; new Airship Mk. IIIs mixed in with the old battleships, the Mk. II. His fleet in total consisted of one hundred and fifty ships, large enough to take a city. If he'd been going up against his father, of course, he would've taken five times the number, but against this foe he really didn't think that necessary.

The hologram of Larry flicked on. "Well, bro, we did it." Larry grinned.

Ludwig smiled. "Thank you for the information, Larry." he closed the hologram and stood up. "Men, commence attack."

"Yes, your highness!" The crew saluted. Ludwig gazed out of the massive window before him. Sarasaland Castle loomed in front of his fleet, it's white towers reaching for the sky amidst a sea of red-roofed houses. Thirty battleships surrounded it; a flimsy shield compared to his superior forces. Most of Morton's fleet had been destroyed in other battles or had been part of the doomed fleet that had set out to make an end of his glorious Neo Empire. Morton had always been ill-suited for war. The people of Sarasaland would enjoy being ruled by a Koopa who knew how to handle these sorts of things.

The guns on Ludwig's ship began to fire, blue light streaking down towards the city and blasting the houses. Ludwig turned around with a swish of his cape. A battle like this deserved an even better view than up on the bridge.

Ludwig took the elevator down, the sounds of explosions echoing outside. Once he felt the ship rock, but only slightly. His state-of-the art armour could not be easily harmed by a simple Bullet Bill. Ludwig exited the elevator and strolled down a corridor lit with blue lights, reaching a door at it's end. This door was intended for maintenance purposes, but it would serve him just fine. Ludwig opened the door and stepped outside onto the airship.

Wind whipped around him, blowing at his blue hair. There was a deafening boom to his left as a turret fired. Up ahead, Ludwig could see that Morton's tiny fleet was also taking heavy fire. Sarasa City was located in the centre of Sarasaland between it's four sub-kingdoms, in a grassy region that it's locals had often nicknamed the Daisy Hills. It was surrounded by a stone wall, on which Morton's army had mounted several bill blasters...but his mechs were making short work of that obstacle. Already they were advancing, firing at the walls with their lasers and causing huge chunks of it to collapse to make way for his ground troops.

Ludwig walked the length of the _Sapphire Light_ as lasers and bullet bills whizzed around him, his cape flapping in the wind. He kept his eyes fixed on the palace...the prize that he was about to claim. Ludwig had not built his warships with open-air decks - they were an outdated concept that only put the crew at risk -, but even on the unsteady hull of the shape that hadn't been designed to be walked on, Ludwig felt like the king he'd always been meant to be. The noises, the smoke, the fact that a stray attack could strike him...none of that mattered. This was his moment. Sector Two was about to fall, and with the destruction of Bowser Jr's armanda, it would only be a matter of time before the rest of the empire would be under his command. Perhaps, before being thrown into the cell he'd spend the rest of his life, his father would finally realizes that _he_ was the true heir and always had been, not that simpering brat Junior.

One of Morton's warships was bearing down upon him, it's guns firing wildly. There was a figure standing on the front of the ship...a huge Koopa, his muscular scales an earthy brown, and the top of his skull and his shell a stone grey.

"LUDWIG!" Morton yelled angrily.

"Hello, Morton." Ludwig said with a cold smile, reaching the front of his ship.

"I'm gonna get you for this!" Morton exclaimed, as furious as he'd ever seen him. The Koopa drew a huge black hammer, which glowed with magical runes. The sight would be enough to make a lesser man duck into his shell in fear, but Ludwig knew his brother. Morton had a slow mind and a gentle soul, which meant he'd never been able to take advantage of his great power. He himself was the opposite.

Ludwig closed his eyes and threw his arms open wide. "Come and get me, brother." he smiled. "I'm yours for the taking.

Morton roared and leapt from his ship, trailing violet light from his hammer. Ludwig opened his eyes and stretched out his arm. Morton was coming towards him like a meteor, his hammer poised to deliver a smash so powerful it would blast a hole right through even a ship as well-shielded as the _Sapphire Light._

Ludwig stretched out his arm, which glowed with a dark sapphire energy. As if time itself had froze, Morton stopped, his hammer just inches from Ludwig's head. Morton's eyes bugged out in fear.

"I wa _s_ always meant to be king, Morton." Ludwig said softly, touching his brother's face. "Tell that to our father."

Then he pointed a claw at Morton and there was a blinding blue flash. A bolt of magical energy struck Morton in the chest and launched him downwards, towards the city that no longer was his. Morton, enveloped in blue fire, crashed through the roof of a house. There was blue explosion of light that ate up the houses around where he had fell, sending debris flying through the air as still more houses were struck by the lasers of Ludwig's warships.

Ludwig turned his gaze back to the palace, which was glinting in the sunlight. It was as if he had just completed a brand-new symphony. _One day, there will be songs about this,_ Ludwig promised himself. _Even after I am long dead, people will sing of the rise of Emperor Ludwig the Great, and the glories of his conquest!_

* * *

Chaos rained within the Sarasaland Palace as the Koopa guards dashed to and fro, shouting orders.

"The _Mad Chain Chomp_ and _Prince Morton's Fist_ have been destroyed!"

"We've got a mech in the east district, and it seems to be unstoppable!"

"Prince Morton's down, no word on if he's dead or alive!"

With all excitement, it was easy for the guards to ignore one princess. Daisy stole out of the chamber that had been her prison for longer than she could remember. She felt sat as she crept down the tall, gilded corridor lined with the portraits of her ancestors. This palace was her home...but staying here now would just be giving herself up to Ludwig. She'd had more than enough of being a prisoner, thank you very much. Daisy's face was hard and her blue eyes shone as if on fire. She'd played "princess in a tower" long enough. Now it was time to get down to business.


	41. A Strange Proposition

**Chapter Forty-One: A Strange Proposition**

While Luigi's revolutionary activities had previously consisted of a lot of fighting, it didn't take long for Luigi to discover that leading a revolution really involved lots and lots of paperwork. He'd left Toad Town as soon as he'd freed it to start his work on freeing Mushroom City, and after that he'd been approached by Fire Flower, so he really hadn't had much opportunity at all to do much leading. Thankfully, Toadette was always on hand to help him when he needed it.

Luigi was currently seated in Princess Peach's office, an elegantly-decorated study with a mahogany desk facing a window and a small fireplace with two seats and a table in front of it. There were several bookshelves also in the office, with books mostly on political and historical subjects. The room had thankfully been untouched during the Koopa occupation, and the Toads had graciously cleaned out the cobwebs. Luigi was touched to see that Peach kept a small picture of him and Mario on her desk. He kept it there; it was nice to remember the past because it gave him motivation to return things to those happier days.

Luigi went over the reports and birds chirped outside. The window faced east of the castle, and had a beautiful view of the Mushroom Plains. Unfortunately Luigi had no time to enjoy the beautiful day. Without him, his revolution appeared to have handled quite well, he remarked as he read over a paper. More Koopa Troop strongholds had been overthrown by the constantly-growing resistance, including the castle on the coast of Doop Doop Dunes. That had been one of the Koopa Troop's strongest garrisons despite it's remote location relevtive to the rest of the kingdom, as it had been one of Bowser's castle. While many of Bowser's castles had been built close to the border for conveniences' sake, when Bowser had discovered Peach's vacation home in Sunbeam Plains he'd built a castle in a volcanic crater not far from it. That had been the centre of the adventure Luigi had had when he'd met Mario's alternate counterpart, from the world where everything was made out of paper. Previously it had been too powerful to take, but the war had reduced it's garrison to a small reserve, easily overcome.

Also promising were the resistance's new weapons. Luigi had gotten a chance to see one of the new Mushroom Kingdom battleships up close earlier in the day. It was a beautiful sight, with fresh white paint and a golden star-shaped prow. Turns out there were more than enough workers willing to remodel Koopa ships for the cause. So far, there were forty of said ships in the Mushroom fleet, but more were coming. While Luigi wasn't sure how many they'd be able to capture due to most of the Koopas off fighting in the war, he hoped they'd have enough to be able to meet invaders head-on if neccessary.

Luigi sighed and leaned back. The pink cushion felt comfortable on his stiff back. It was slow work, but things were coming along. This war had really been a blessing. The understaffed Koopa forts were falling one after another, and with Mushroom City fallen and Bowser Jr occupied, they had no real sense of unity. It wouldn't be long until the kingdom was once again under the control of it's own people.

It was a satisfying thing to think about. Luigi smiled, gazing at the picture of his brother that sat on the desk. Mario would be proud of him...just like he was proud of Cobal. Cobal's rescue of the heroes had saved them in Flame's attack, and it would likely earn them many more victories.

There was one thing that troubled him, however...Cobal's story of their escape and their fight with the mysterious Skallz Fortiscule. Cobal had been shocked to learn that Luigi had met Skallz. Luigi had not thought much of the gentlemanly-clad Koopa in the bar near Koopa Central, but now it seemed like he was somebody to worry about.

 _An old mercenary from the First Koopa War,_ Luigi mused, _but obviously he hasn't done that kind of work for a while, or else I think Mario and I would've fought him before. That time at the bar...he was probably scoping me out._

Luigi did not like that thought. With Koopa Troop forces on every side, he did not have time to worry about this strange newcomer. After all, regardless of if the Neo Empire or the Bowser loyalists won the war, either side would turn their attention to recovering the Mushroom Kingdom once the throne was secure.

" _One step at a time."_ Luigi told himself.

* * *

General Flame's attack had undone some of the repairs that the people of Toad Town had done, but the ever-cheerful Toads were hard at work fixing the damage. The sounds of their hammers and saws rang through the air as Cobal and his father strolled down the streets, making up for all the time they'd been apart. Cobal saw a young Toad climb the steps to her Toad house to be greeted by her smiling mother. The once-dead town had returned to life.

"So, how was life as the champ, Dad?" Cobal asked, as they walked down a street lined with shops. Most of the shops were up and running again now, and the Item Shop had a brand-new sign promising fresh Mushrooms and Fire Flowers.

Gonzales laughed, smiling at his son. "Well, I'll tell you one thing, kid, there was a whole lot stuff I had to deal with. For every hour I was in the ring there were ten doing publicity stunts and interviews, and some of those guys got real nosy. When I met your Mom, I kept my relationship with her secret so that she'd stay out of the spotlight. The fights, though..." he grinned, "Those were what made it worth it."

Cobal nodded. He understood only too well the thrill of battle, leaping towards a foe and putting everything on the line to take him down. "What was the big point of your career?" Cobal asked. "I mean, the Koopa Empire took down all the videos of you because you were connected to Mario, so you're like a ghost."

"Well," Gonzales continued, with a proud look on his face. Cobal could tell that he enjoyed talking about his fights. "I'll never forget my first solo match against Rawk Hawk that earned me the belt, of course, but after I claimed the championship the fight that most stands out was that one against Lee the Duplighost."

"Never heard of him before." Cobal commented.

"Yeah, he used to train right here in Toad Town." Gonzales replied. "Had a decent career in the Glitz Pit, although I heard the Koopas got him years ago. Anyways, when he challenged me, at first things weren't that tough. But then...he turned right into Mario himself! Yup, turns out the o.g. Great Gonzales fought him a while back and learnt how to transform into him. That made the fight a bit tough, you can believe that all right, but hey...no knockoff Mario can match the real deal. I beat him, fair-and-square, although I was sweating near the end."

"Wow." Cobal breathed. "Wish I could've seen that."

Gonzales smirked. "Well, maybe once we kick ol' Bowser out, those videos will be available for everyone." he said, glancing up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set, long shadows falling over the brightly-coloured roofs of the Toad Houses. "Those stories about Mario and the rest of us...we all deserve them. King Bowser can't take it away from us."

* * *

Cobal spent the rest of the day with his father. It was striking how similar they were to each other; the same blunt, down-to-earth attitude, the same sense of humour. They ate dinner together for the first time at the Roasted Shroom, and then washed it down with iced Chuckola Cola. All while they were together, Cobal told his father stories of how he'd help Luigi free the Mushroom Kingdom while Gonzales recounted the thrilling tales of his fights with Mario against the Secret Society of X-nauts and the even more terrifying evil, the Shadow Queen. By the time Cobal returned to Toadbert's house to sleep, he felt incredible gratitude towards Luigi for helping make this happen. He'd helped Luigi recover his confidence, but Luigi's fighting and leadership skills had led to him finding his father again.

Cobal lay back on his bed and flicked the switch off on his mushroom-shaped light. He threw the covers over him and looked up at his ceiling. This room was the room of his childhood, but it was scarcely furnished. Most Mushroom-kingdom made toys and tv had been banned when the empire took over, so he hadn't been able to enjoy things that the children of the pre-empire days had. Mario's influence had been so great that even completely fictional shows like Toad Force V had taken at least some inspiration from his heroics. As such, the Koopa administration had banned them all.

But all of that was ending, Cobal reflected. Soon, both he and the people of the Mushroom Kingdom would enjoy a peaceful life. Cobal closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Cobal drifted in a void, the stars and brightly-coloured nebulas swirling around him. "W...what?" Cobal reflected, glancing around at the swirling cosmos. One minute he'd been in bed, the next-"

"Why do you struggle, Cobal the Yoshi?" came a serene, female voice from above.

"H...huh?" Cobal replied, glancing upward. There was a beautiful woman descending down towards him, glad in a pale blue dress. Her light blonde hair was styled in a way that covered her left eye, and her face was as pale as marble. In her hands she clasped a star-tipped wand. Cobal did not recognize her. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice seeming to echo through the endless void of space.

The woman hovered down until she was level with Cobal. "Does it matter?" she replied, in a voice devoid of emotion. "I am speaking to you, Cobal the Yoshi? Why are you working to overcome the Koopa Empire?"

Cobal nearly laughed. "Why?" he said, "Cause they've taken over the world, that's why. They've made life miserable for billions of people, they made it so I grew up without my parents, they-"

"It is hopeless." the woman interrupted him. "One thousand years ago, the world was nearly destroyed by the Shadow Queen. When your Luigi was born, the First Koopa War raged, and while he was a little child, the Shroobs invaded, destroying countless innocent lives. When he was an adult he had countless clashes with not only Bowser, but with the likes of others...Cackletta and Fawful, the X-nauts, Antasma...the list goes on and on." she smiled cooly. "How many people will die so that you can overthrow this Koopa Empire, Cobal? Wouldn't it be better if they all simply destroyed themselves? The people wielding great magic, great physical strength, great minds to bring forth wonders...the people think they protect them, but in reality, it's they who have caused the problems."

"That's not true!" Cobal protested angrily. Who was this woman anyway? Who was she to tell him what to think? "Yeah, strong people can be a pain when they're evil, but they've done a lot of good, to! For every Shadow Queen and Bowser there's a Mario and Luigi...you can't lump the good in with the bad! Think of the hope that the Mario brothers have inspired! Even if all of the "great" people disappear, it won't solve all the problems. It'll just be more difficult to fix them!"

The woman shook her head sadly. "You're young." she said. "You haven't seen things the way I have. As this war reaches it's end...you will understand."

Cobal was thrust awake. The rising sun was shining through his window, bathing him in gold. Nothing remained of the strange woman.

"What...what was that all about?"

* * *

Luigi liked to sleep in the same house that he had lived in for most of his life. It felt wrong sleeping in one of the finer apartments in Peach's Castle. Even though he was technically leading the Mushroom Kingdom at the moment, he certainly wasn't the king or any other sort of political leader. He still had hope that they could find Princess Peach. Even if Peach was no longer alive, regardless of whether the people decided to crown a new ruler or move to another style of government, Luigi wouldn't be on top. All he wanted was to make sure all the people in the Mushroom Kingdom were free, and then live out a quiet life fixing people's sinks and toilets. Oh, and marry Princess Daisy too, although perhaps that was too much to ask. Luigi didn't even know if she was still alive.

It was a crisp, beautiful morning as Luigi made his way down the dirt path that led from his house towards Toad Town, the bright sun shining down upon his head. Birds chirped in the trees that surrounded him, and in a thick clump of bushes to his right he heard the snore of a slumbering Piranha Plant. Once there had been a pipe that had led straight to Toad Town, but that had been blocked up so that invaders wouldn't have a way to sneak inside. It didn't really matter. It was only a short walk from the Mario Brothers' house to the town anyway.

Once Luigi reached the edge of the small forest that surrounded his house, he leapt above the wall and into Toad Town. An old woman in the process of regrowing her garden gave him a friendly wave. Luigi smiled back, before walking down the street towards the town square. He could see Peach's Castle rising above the colourful rounded roofs of the Toad Houses, it's red tiles catching the sun's light. Several of the Toads had repaired much of the damage the roof had sustained during Bowser's attack, leaving the palace looking as good as new. He smiled. Things were coming along well.

In the town square, Luigi saw a moustached Toad taking measurements of the empty pedestal in the centre of the fountain. Most likely he was making plans for the new Peach statue that was going to be placed there. Hovering on the edge of the city, Luigi could see one of the Mushroom battleships, white with a sparkling star prow and a superstructure styled after Peach's Castle itself...a sign of how far his resistance had come. Luigi turned and began to walk his way up towards the palace. Another long day of work awaited him. Well, it wasn't going to get finished all by itself...

"Koopa alert! Koopa alert!" Luigi heard the screams of a frightened Toad behind him. As if he was dodging a stray fireball, Luigi turned abruptly to face Billy, who's face was white.

"W...what's wrong?" Luigi asked, his heart beating. The empire hadn't decided to send another invasion force, had they? Without the element of surprise, even with the old heroes and the battleships they might not be able to win it.

"There's a ship." Billy said, tripping over his words.

"Just one?" Luigi inquired.

Billy nodded quickly. "Y...yes. They're hovering outside the city. Their leader wants to talk to you."

"Talk?" Luigi asked. Did the Koopas want to parlay? That was strange. The Koopa Troop he remembered had never done anything but charge right into battle. Bowser and the Koopalings were too hot-headed and bloodthirsty to treat with their opponents. Still...if the Koopas wanted to offer him any sort of terms, it was his duty to hear them.

* * *

Luigi walked out of the Toad Town gates alone, the city he had worked to hard to rebuild behind him. The battleship hovered in front with it's propellers spinning, flying the flag of the Koopa Empire. It's design marked it as part of Bowser Jr's fleet. It hovered low enough for it's extended boarding ramp to touch the ground.

As Luigi walked closer, he saw that the delegation waiting for him consisted of a Koopatrol with an orange Bowser emblem on his helmet and two red-shelled Koopas. The Koopatrol had his hands clasped behind his back, and Luigi could not tell what was on his face due to his steel helmet. The sound of the battleship's engines filled the air.

"Greetings." the Koopatrol said crisply. "I am General Spiker, of High Command."

Luigi's eyes widened. High Command? This was pretty serious. What was one of the Koopa Troop's top leaders doing here?

"It's...nice to meet you, General Spiker." Luigi said, trying to disguise the nervousness in his voice. "Why are you here? If it's to threaten-"

"I think that's not for me to discuss." Spiker interrupted him. "That's a matter for His Highness."

Someone appeared at the top of the boarding ramp, and Luigi thought he saw a ghost.

For a moment Luigi thought that Bowser himself had come to meet him. He certainly looked the same, although he wore a metal breastplate, which Luigi had never known the Koopa King to wear. But everything else...the muscular, yellow-scaled arms, the wild, bright-red hair and the fiery eyes, the mouth full of sharp fangs...

"Presenting his royal highness, the Crown Prince of the Koopa Empire, Bowser Jr." Spiker announced.

Luigi fought to keep his composure. He couldn't afford to look weak here. But how could he not react? The childish-looking Koopa he knew as Bowser Jr was gone. In his place was a splitting image of his father.

Many expressions played over Bowser Jr's face as he looked Luigi over, towering above him just as his father had. Luigi remembered all the times he'd stomped the Koopa prince on the head. " _This is the first time we've seen each other since Mario died,"_ Luigi reflected.

"You look surprisingly well for somebody who was supposed to be dead." Bowser Jr said. To Luigi, he sounded bitter.

"Bowser Jr. You look...big." Luigi replied, somewhat awkwardly.

Bowser Jr laughed hollowly. "Let's get to the point, green stache. You want to know why I'm here."

"Yeah." Luigi replied, narrowing his eyes. He looked Bowser Jr over; clearly, he was more powerful then he'd been as a child, but how much? Luigi had managed to defeat Roy back in Neon City, but it had pushed him to the limit. He didn't want to risk a fight like that so close to Toad Town. "If you want Toad Town..."

Bowser Jr waved his hand. "Oh, you can keep Toad Town." he sighed.

Luigi perked up. "Wait...what?" he said. Bowser Jr, offering some kind of peace terms? He really had matured.

"Yeah, what do we want with this place?" Bowser Jr said, looking over at Peach's Castle resentfully. "It's just a bunch of bad memories for us. Luigi, I'm going to make this clear. I want to cut a deal."

"What kind?" Luigi asked. He was keeping his ears open for the hint of a trap, but there were none yet. Bowser Jr had never been one for deception, but perhaps he had learnt some new skills over the years.

"You helped my father in the past, Luigi, when there was a bigger threat." Bowser Jr said. "Now, I want you to help me against my older brother. Ludwig managed to use underhand methods to destroy my fleet. Since Dad still refuses to join the fight, the Neo Empire now has us outnumbered. I'm trying to gather my remaining forces to put together a new fleet, but I need more troops. If you help me, Luigi, when I'm emperor...I'll give the Mushroom Kingdom independence."

Luigi smelt a trap. The Koopa family had never been generous. "Under what condition."

Bowser Jr shrugged. "We'll keep the other Sectors, of course. You'll be free to do what you want in the Mushroom Kingdom, so long as you don't try to affect us. We won't try to take you over, so long as you don't try to get rid of our territory. I know you hero types might consider that a loss, but as long as there's a chance of it still holding together I'm not giving up world domination without a fight."

A free Mushroom Kingdom. It was a tantalizing offer, to be sure. But that also meant leaving the Beanbean Kingdom, Yoshi's Island, Sarasaland, and all the other nations in the world firmly under the emperor's iron fist. It was far from a perfect deal, and yet...

"I'm not accepting anything." Luigi said firmly, raising his head to look Bowser Jr in the eye. "But perhaps we can talk. You want us to help you fight Ludwig, right? I can't promise I'll give up trying to free everyone...but maybe there's another deal we can make."

"Hmph." Bowser Jr grunted. "This is going to take a while."

Luigi knew it would be difficult to decide anything with Bowser Jr. But he had to try. If he figured out a way to stop the Koopas from attacking them, then he could free the people from the overhanging threat of another attack. Besides, it was common knowledge that the Neo Empire's territories were far crueler than Bowser Jr and his allies' territories. Defeating Ludwig was something that had to happen, if the people of the Mushroom World were finally going to be safe.

"We better get talking, then." he said.


	42. A Shattered Empire

**Chapter Forty-Two: A Shattered Empire**

 _Thank you to everyone for helping Fallen Kingdom get over 20,000 views! We're more than halfway done now, so hold on tight!_

* * *

Grand General Shelldon closed his eyes and leaned back on his chair. Around him, his fellows in Koopa High Command looked at each other with concern.

"I'll admit, it isn't looking good, men." It felt terrible to say it, Shelldon knew. Ever since he'd first enrolled in military school when he was fifteen, he'd given his life for the Koopa Troop. But facts were facts. With the destruction of more than half of their warships by the Neo Empire's subterfuge, they were now outnumbered. What was worse, Ludwig was constantly developing new technology which would give his army a huge advantage.

"Emperor Bowser _must_ join the fight!" Goomboss boomed, his voice echoing through the council chamber. His white moustache bristled as he spoke. "The Koopa Central Elite Force can change this war!"

Shelldon opened his eyes and leaned forward. "If I could, I'd order them out right now." he admitted. "But rules are rules. The Elite Force only moves when the Emperor says it does."

"If Emperor Bowser would just get back to normal..." Paraplonk said, shaking his head. "He'll be turning fifty soon and we're going to have all the usual celebrations, yet he hasn't been seen by the public for years."

"He's in a bad place, both physically and mentally." Shelldon admitted. "If he would abdicate and put Junior on the throne, we'd stand a better chance, but somebody as stubborn as him will probably die on that chair."

The other generals nodded. Only a few of them were seated around the table...many members of High Command were out fighting in the field under the command of the Koopalings, and General Lakithunder had lost his life when his flagship blew up during the destruction of the fleet. The empire they had worked so hard to build up seemed to be crumbling down as they spoke. But Shelldon was determined to keep fighting until the last man. That was his duty as a soldier of the Koopa Troop.

Corporal Blueshell sat on a comfortable leather seat, the sounds of conversation and the clinking of cutlery around him. He was in the Lakitu's Roost, one of the fanciest restaurants in Koopa Central. All around him, well-dressed Koopas dined while a Monty Mole bartender whipped up luxurious drinks at his bar lit by red light. The Lakitu's Roost was located on the top floor of a skyscraper, with a massive window wrapping around it. Glancing out, Blueshell could see the neon light and billboard-covered skyscrapers of Koopa Central around him, displaying the emblem of the Koopa Empire and war propaganda. The enormous Imperial Citadel loomed over the city, its towers stretching higher than any of the skyscrapers and it's huge spiked dome larger than a city block.

* * *

Blueshell was eating steak drenched in 1-up Mushroom gravy, and it was finer dining than he'd ever experienced before. That was one of the benefits of being General Flame's secretary; the general had expensive tastes. If it weren't for the chance to eat at places like this from time to time, though, Blueshell probably would've cracked. Flame was not exactly the most enjoyable person to be around.

Flame hadn't eaten anything since they'd got there, although he had drunk a lot. The general was down in the dumps; after his failure to retake Toad Town, he'd lost the respect of all of his colleagues. There was even talk that he could be kicked off High Command.

"Those idiots don't know what they're missing out." Flame ranted, taking another sip of his Fahr Outpost-brewed vodka. "If it weren't for me Neo Bowser City would be a frozen wasteland. Everyone else on the council had been beat by Mario before, or else were lucky enough to have never met him. How should I be any different?"

Blueshell had a number of things to say; even though it was true that they probably couldn't have defeated Luigi, with better strategy they could've razed Toad Town to the ground. It was Flame's arrogance and bravado that had caused them to lose...and that wasn't even counting the fact that Flame could've crushed the resistance ages ago if he'd just listened to him when he'd first come to Mushroom City. However, speaking the truth could get you nowhere when you were with Fortugas Flame. So, instead he said,

"It's a great tragedy, general. The Koopa Troop really isn't what it once was." Blueshell took another bite of his steak. It really was quite delicious.

"Ah, quite true, quite true." Flame agreed, taking a long draught of his vodka. "Some people just don't have the eye to spot the one gold coin in the hill of pennies, wouldn't you say?"

"Quite so, general." Blueshell agreed. "You are one exceptional Koopa. If you were sitting at the head of that table instead of Shelldon, this war would be over."

"I know!" Flame agreed. "Blueshell, you catch on quickly. But alas..." he sighed over-dramatically. "I am underappreciated, underused, and looked down upon by my peers. I have half a mind to quit, you know, and take my talents elsewhere."

Blueshell hadn't really been paying attention to the conversation; his mind was on his steak and his beautiful girlfriend Shelly, who lived in his Koopa Kingdom hometown of Shellshock Point. They hadn't seen each other for a year since he'd been dispatched to the Mushroom Kingdom, before the war had even began. But now he perked up, his heart beating. "Is this treason, general?" Flame was stupid, that much was obvious, but announcing an intention to join the Neo Empire in a high-class Koopa Central restaurant full of politicians and high-ranking officers was taking that word to a whole new meaning.

"Goodness me, no." Flame replied, leaning back and crossing one leg over the other. "Do you really think a narcissist like Prince Ludwig would pay attention to me? No, I've got other plans. I've been doing a bit of research. How do you think Ludwig von Koopa managed to launch his rebellion on the first place? Sure, he had Larry and Roy with him, and all their fleets, and I'm sure he's been cooking up weapons in lab for years, but how would he get the resources to build all of them?"

Blueshell shrugged. "He's a prince." he replied. "Princes are supposed to be rich, aren't they?"

"Oh, I don't doubt that." Flame replied, taking a sip of his vodka. "But...High Command keeps track of certain things. We'd know if he'd ordered tons of weapons, especially strange ones. There are even rumours that he's using Shroob technology, did you know that? He didn't go through legitimate channels, of that I assure you. And thanks to my painstaking studies of our documents, I've come to discover who he bought them from."

"And who would that be?" Blueshell replied. He finished his steak and glanced around the restaurant, hoping to catch the eye of a waiter. His Tasty Tonic was nearly done and it took many drinks to get him through a prolonged conversation with General Flame.

Flame leaned forward. "It's called Seven Stars." he said. There was a dangerous twinkle in his eye, the twinkle Blueshell had come to realize he always got when he was getting an _especially_ bad idea. "Even High Command don't have much data on them. Think of them as the criminal underworld's secret rulers. Every organization...the Pianta Syndicate, the Robbo Gang, Captain Syrup's Crew, you name it...they're all indebted to it in some way." Flame took another sip. "Of course, even these gangs don't know much about Seven Stars. It's members all dress in uniform and its public leader is a Magikoopa who's name is Krezena the Golden, who is often referred to as the "Yellow Star". It is known, however, that she is only one member of their board of directors, and that there are others who are above her in the organization."

"Very interesting." Blueshell replied, while nodding in the direction of a Para-Bones waiter, who was crisply dressed in a bow-tie. "How is this relevant to you?"

"Simple." Flame smirked. "I'm going to join them."

Blueshell narrowed his eyes. "What...?" he said. Good old Flame, he never failed to come up with new ways to be incredibly stupid. Lord Fredrik of the Snowmads must have been a complete imbecile, letting his army get wiped out by this guy. "You want to sign up with some kind of mafia?"

"Well, it's not a mafia, per say." Flame said, downing the last few gulps of his vodka. "It's more of a rogue military and intelligence group, actually. But yes, I want to join it. Think about it, Blueshell. These are the people who _backed_ Ludwig. Without them, those whole stupid war would never have happened. If I can get myself a seat at the high table, then I'll be sitting on the top regardless of if Junior or Ludwig or even _Luigi_ wins the war. In other words..." he snapped his fingers, creating a spark of flame. "You might have to start calling me King Flame."

" _Dead Flame, more likely."_ Blueshell thought, but naturally he didn't say that. He didn't want to lose his ability to dine at places like the Lakitu's Roost and get shipped off to the war zone, after all. "Well, I wish you luck, general." he said politely.

"You're too kind." Flame smiled. The Para-Bones waiter flew over, and Blueshell quickly ordered a refill, as did Flame. "How about we drink to my future?" he suggested when the drinks arrived.

"Of course." Blueshell replied, raising his glass. As the sweet, strong, bubbly Tasty Tonic touched Blueshell's lips, however, he wasn't thinking about Seven Stars at all. Fine dining was good and all, but it tasted much better when you earned it yourself instead of coasting off the favours of a man he hated. Perhaps once he returned to the Imperial Citadel he'd report Flame to another one of the generals, and spill the whole story about how he attempted to warn him about Luigi. Perhaps he'd even get a chance at promotion himself. If an idiot like Fortugas Flame could climb the ranks, so could he.

* * *

Kammy Koopa flew through the midnight sky, piercing through a cloud on her broom. Up above, the stars sparkled, a brilliant canvass of light that covered the midnight sky. High up in the sky, the stars were always beautiful, and Kammy could even make out several constellations. She wondered if the Star Spirits were looking down on her. They probably didn't wish her anything good. The time when she and Lord Bowser had raided Star Haven had been one of their most risky schemes, but it brought back good memories. Back then Bowser had been a foul-mouthed, blustering bully, but at least that was better then the derelict and depressed husk he'd become now. The sound of him roaring and calling her an ugly old hag when she pointed out the flaws in his schemes would be music to her ears now.

Up ahead, the golden lights of Toad Town shone, illuminating the Toad Houses and the towers of Peach's Castle. The sight prompted a smile from Kammy. It really did look just like it had, back in the old days. Sure, she'd hated everyone in that stinking town, but just seeing those obnoxiously merry Toad Houses made her feel like a wicked witch again, not an old woman with a bad back on a desperate quest to help her king get his life back. Sure, Bowser had won, but was it really much of a victory? If only he could've settled down and married some nice Koopa girl instead of being so fixated on Princess Peach. Those little escapades into the Mushroom Kingdom had been quite enjoyable, but he should've been able to see that the princess' heart had always been with Mario.

Kammy flew over the multi-coloured roofs, and the streets lit by the mushroom-shaped streetlights. There were a few Toads hanging about, so Kammy stayed high up. Even though it was nearly impossible she'd be recognized, her mission was too important to risk discovery. Kammy glanced down; there was a gang of Toads seated on a porch of a Toad House, drinks in hand, while a brown-capped Toad recounted a dramatic story. _These Toads want their life back,_ she thought, _and really, us Koopas want that too. An empire this large has none of the Koopa Kingdom's charm._

Kammy looked ahead, way up at the tallest tower of Peach's Castle. She urged her broom forward. The night air was cool upon her wrinkled skin and some laughter floated up from the Toad House as Kammy flew away. Many people didn't know this fact, but the roof of Peach's Castle's tallest tower could actually retract, providing the perfect place to look over the city. Princess Peach rarely used this feature, and it had only been done one time Kammy could remember...when Peach's Castle had come under the control of the mad genius Fawful. There, up on the highest point of the castle, King Bowser himself had duelled an entity of pure evil who had taken his own form...the Dark Star.

Kammy smiled as she approached the roof. It's red tiles seemed to catch some of the starlight. The Dark Star...any self-respecting Magikoopa would've loved to have got their hands on it. That stupid Fawful, with all of his science and gadgets, would never have been able to harness it's true might. Sadly, nobody would be able to do that now, as it had been destroyed. However... _completely_ destroying something like that was a more complicated matter, one that could not be simply done with jumps and fire breath.

Kammy closed her eyes and stretched out her wand. The tip began to glow as dark purple particles popped into existence like fireflies. It was a simple process, over in about a minute. Stored within Kammy's wand now was all that remained of the Dark Star...a little less than a quarter of it's original power, she estimated, but that would be more than enough. With a satisfied smile, she turned around and urged her broom upwards.

Back in the Koopa Kingdom, her research had proved a resounding success. With the aid of her magic, she now knew the exact manner of the Koopa Kingdom's lost queen's death. When Bowser learnt of it...well, perhaps his desire for revenge would be enough to shock him out of his depression and, more importantly, help him remember the _real_ love of his life. Perhaps he'd finally be able to get over Princess Peach. Still, though...Kammy was worried.

Antonio, the scourge of the Koopa Kingdom and the most powerful fighter the world had ever seen, a man who not even the infamously powerful Morton Koopa Sr could defeat, was alive, and plotting against them. What his plans were, Kammy couldn't guess, but they concerned Bowser, his family, and even the heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom. Were they even really in control of their own lives, or were they just pawns in Antonio's game? Kammy tightened her grip on her broom. Well, if she'd have any say in the matter, the power of the Dark Star would make all the difference.


	43. The Emperor's Banquet

**Chapter Forty-Three: The Emperor's Banquet**

Yoshi sat in the darkened council chamber in Fire Flower's underground base. The room was mostly bare, it's only bit of decoration being a fire flower painted onto the wall. A dim lamp from the table's centre provided all the light they needed.

Yoshi sat at the head of the table. All of his chief lieutenants were there...Koopaner, the rebel leader who'd been fighting against Bowser's rule for decades, Toadificus, Fire Flower's financial backer, Carl Fangs, ex-Kremling Krew raid captain, and several more individuals who shared his cause in bringing Emperor Bowser down. Each of their heads were turned to him. They looked to him for leadership, and why shouldn't they? Thanks to his plan, Neon City, the Koopa Empire's heart of vice, had been destroyed. Sector Four was fractured, it's fortresses seized by both Neo Empire forces and Bowser loyalists, but in the chaos the Sand Kingdom's people had finally got to experience freedom. It was essentially considered a dead state by both sides, far too much trouble for either to control when they had to worry about more important things. It had been Fire Flower's greatest victory. So why did Yoshi feel so hollow?

 _It was all Luigi's fault_ , Yoshi mused as he faced his lieutenants. He'd been hoping to fight this fight together! It had been his every intention to throw a feast for Luigi once he had recuperated from his fight with Roy, but then Luigi had abandoned them? Were his words true? Had he become just as bad...perhaps even worse, than the Koopas? Mario wouldn't have approved of his actions, Yoshi knew, but what had Mario's brand of heroics got the Mushroom Kingdom in the end. He'd been a paragon of goodness, practically a superhero to the people of the Mushroom Kingdom, a guy with a bright and optimistic smile who every little kid wanted to be when they grew up. Yet each and every time he had beat the Koopa King, Mario had spared his life. All it would've taken is a little more force in that jump, and King Bowser's reign would be over. Princess Peach could've take the Koopa Kingdom for herself and changed it with her kind leadership, or, if that was too conquerer-seeming for her, she could work with the Koopas and set up a new leader...a new dynasty of kings, or a republic if they'd prefer, and bring peace between the two nations. But instead of all that, Bowser and his children had been allowed to run free, launching a raid on the Mushroom Kingdom nearly every week, and in the end it had meant the end of not only the Mushroom Kingdom, but freedom for every soul in the world.

He'd only done what was necessary. People wouldn't look up to him like they'd looked up to the Mario brothers, but the history books would say that it was Yoshi of Fire Flower who brought the gift of freedom back of the Mushroom World. But even as Yoshi thought of it, images kept on flashing through his mind. Kooper and Koops, Mario's old companions, who he'd fought with back-to-back at the Battle of Toad Town. A smiling, laughing Koopa child who'd cheered him on as he drifted down Mario Circuit on one of the annual kart tournaments. Even the face of Bowser himself...when they'd first met, he'd only been a kid. A bratty, obnoxious entitled kid, but it had been Kamek's teaching and his over-privileged life that had made him the way he was. Nobody was born evil...not Bowser, and certainly not the entire Koopa race.

The Nuclear Bob-omb had been meant for Roy Koopa and his soldiers, and yet certainly the majority of the casualties had been innocent. Who was to say they even supported Roy? Perhaps they were just trying to scrape by in the shadow of their tyrant's castle, imperial citizens who'd had no role or say in the conquest of the world and nothing against non-Koopas.

" _It was necessary."_ Yoshi told himself again. But even as he thought it over, the more it weighed upon him. It was too late to stop now. Fire Flower had to continue on it's path until the Imperial Citadel was burnt to the ground. It was the path he'd chosen, and he'd have to stick with it.

"Yoshi, sir?" came the voice of Koopaner. "Are you ready to begin?"

Yoshi snapped back into focus. His subordinates, of course...how long had he kept them waiting? "Yes." he said. "Let's start. Toadificus." he turned to the moustached green-capped Toad. "Please go over our organization's statistics."

"As you wish." Toadificus nodded. "I have placed an order for three-hundred Bob-ombs from the Robbo Gang. They will be here within a week. Three of our airships which were damaged in the attack on Neon City have been repaired. Finally, I'm afraid that the amount of deflections are increasing. Thirty more of us left for Luigi's organization. It appears to be a growing trend."

"Those idiots." Koopaner hissed. "They'll never get anywhere."

Yoshi leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes. Koopaner was wrong. Drawn by the prospect of fighting under the remaining Mario brother, Luigi's organization seemed to be growing. It had Generation II airships now, Yoshi knew, something Fire Flower had never dared try and steal. Perhaps they could've, if they hadn't been so concerned with bombing Koopa Troop fortresses...but it was too late for regrets."

"Once the new Bob-ombs get here, we're launching a new attack." Yoshi sighed in a resigned voice. Luigi was moving forward, but what could he do? People would follow Luigi because with him was hope and a promise of a better future. All he had to offer was flames and death. "I'm planning an attack on the Koopa Troop's main headquarters in the Beanbean Kingdom. Our spies have reported it's garrison is the weakest it's been in years. The Koopas have never considered the Beanbean Kingdom too valuable after the whole Beanstar/Sticker Star ordeal, and with the recent destruction of Bowser Jr's armada, nearly every non-central fortress has a skeleton garrison since everybody's been pulled to the front lines. We can finally free the Beanish people."

"Another shining victory for us!" the yellow-scaled Kremling Carl Fangs laughed.

" _A victory that wouldn't be possible without Luigi."_ Yoshi sighed. Because of his group's efforts, the Mushroom Kingdom was almost completely free of Koopa forces. Once the Beanbean Kingdom's garrison fell, there would be no reinforcements. _"What am I doing?"_ Yoshi thought, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. " _I haven't felt this lost since Mario died."_

* * *

Toadificus excited the council room alongside the other lieutenants. Some were chatting to each other about their hopes for the new plan, but Toadificus didn't join them. He smiled, his moustached bristling. Fire Flower soon was going to reach boiling point. It's purpose was nearly fulfilled. _"Yoshi will meet with the others in battle eventually, regardless of if he's on Luigi's side or against him."_ The Toad mused. " _And then...they will all be swallowed up in the Grand Star's ambition."_

* * *

Bowser Jr took a deep breath and walked through the huge double-doors into the Imperial Citadel's ballroom. The ballroom was a clear example of the empire's wealth. It was a humungous hall that could fit several hundred people, and chandeliers made of solid gold hung from the ceiling. Massive windows covered both walls, looking out at the brightly-lit Koopa Central, which dyed the floor of brown marble a multitude of hues as its lights lit up the sky. Banners depicting the imperial emblem hung from the walls, and the same emblem was etched on the room's centre, with the Bowser head made of ruby. An elevated gallery ran around the room, with a balcony directly across from Bowser Jr, which was flanked by two golden Bowser statues. On the gallery, an orchestra played classical music-an old song, written nearly four hundred years ago. All the modern classics had been written by Ludwig, of course, and it would be completely inappropriate to play them with the prince's loyalties being what they were.

There were many round tables draped with white cloth placed around the hall, and at them were seated the Koopa Empire's elite. Bowser Jr saw lords and ladies, business leaders and politicians, heroes who had distinguished themselves in the war and trusted members of High Command...it was the single most exclusive party in the entire world, and, if you were a higher-class sort of person, at first glance it looked like the sort of place you could have a wonderful time. But there was a somber atmosphere that filled the ballroom. Everyone in the room, from fat Lord Shellis Koopel to Grand General Shelldon, looking very crisp in his white dress uniform, knew that their side was not likely to win in the war. When Ludwig sat the throne, he would not look favourably on the people who had resisted him. No wonder so many were defecting to the Neo Empire's side.

Bowser Jr approached an empty table. A dutiful Boo servant appeared, pushing forward a large chair built to accommodate his bulk. Bowser Jr sat down on it and looked up at the balcony, from which was hung the largest imperial banner. In a way, wasn't he a traitor, too? He'd joined forces with none other than Luigi himself. If his father had heard about this, he might very well just hand the throne to Ludwig in disgust. _"Does he even care enough to do that?"_ Bowser Jr wondered. His father had been like an empty shell for years now, and if the rumours were true it was only getting worse.

The battle was going to happen once Bowser Jr returned to the Mushroom Kingdom. He'd left General Spiker behind to go over the final preparations. His spies had reported a fleet under the command of his brother Larry massing at Rogueport. He'd take his own fleet and meet it in battle over the ocean, with Luigi's forces at his side. Would any good come of it? Even if they'd be able to win against Larry, would indulging Luigi only further the Koopa Empire's destruction?

A Magikoopa clad in grey robes walked to the edge of the balcony and the entire room fell into a hush. "Introducing his royal highness, King of the Koopas and Conquerer of the World, Emperor Bowser Koopa!"

Slowly, Bowser made his appearance at the balcony. Bowser Jr tightened his fist. Bowser was dressed regally, in his red cape and golden spiked shoulder pads, but he had never looked older. Half of the hairs on his head looked grey, and he walked with a stooping limp. What had happened to the fearsome guy who'd been able to casually stroll into Peach's Castle, grab the princess, and walk back to the airship while the Toads panicked? His father looked two steps away from becoming a Dry Bones.

" _I'll make things right for you, Dad."_ Bowser Jr promised himself. " _You have my word, as your son and the heir to the throne!"_

Bowser placed his hand on the golden railing. "Well." he grunted, his voice carrying across the room. "I guess I'm fifty now." Bowser scoffed and shook his head. "Look at all of you, crammed into this room like it's some massive party. Fat lot o' good that'll do for you. Go gorge yourself on a pile of Hot Drumsticks, 'cause it's probably going to be your last time."

The guests murmured amongst themselves. Bowser Jr closed his eyes. It hurt him to see his father this way. Wasn't King Bowser's most defining trait the fact that he never gave up, no matter how much the odds were against him?

"You know, twenty-one years ago, I conquered this whole stupid world." Bowser said, before laughing. "You know," he said, smiling and bearing his fangs. "I've been wanting to rule the world since I've been four. I've launched more invasions then even I remember, raided Star Haven itself, even tried to recreate the whole freakin' universe in my image, but I always lost. Then one day I won. Bet you were all surprised about that, right? I actually did it. Then it was one victory after another, until we built this fancy castle and I got myself some big shiny new throne. But you know what?" Bowser pounded the railing and swept his crimson gaze over the ballroom wildly. "It was never about the power! Yeah, power's awesome, but what's the point of an empire without an empress? I must have the universe's worst luck...Mario finally dies, and then Peach has to go ahead and follow him. Yeah, I know, nobody knows if she's really dead, but it's been over two decades and she hasn't shown her stupid, pretty face. What's even the point?"

Bowser looked down directly at Bowser Jr, and the younger Koopa met his father's gaze. _"How long has it been since we've even had a normal conversation?"_ the Koopa Prince wondered sadly. "Junior, if you beat Ludwig, the throne's yours. If he beats you, I'll let him have it. None of it matters in the end. Not a single bit of it. You can have your war. I just want my princess."

And with that, Emperor Bowser Koopa turned around and walked back to where he came.

* * *

Outside one of the huge windows that lined the ballroom walls, Kammy hovered, out of sight of all of the guests. _"Bowser..."_ she thought to herself. It was getting worse. She'd been surprised he hadn't simply abdicated the throne. _"There's still hope for him."_ Kammy thought to herself, looking down at her wand. Once her potion was finished, the strength of Bowser's youth would be back...no, it would be amplified. All she needed now was the final ingredient...the diamond milk of a Crystal Coconut, to force the Dark Star's power to join with the potion base.

Kammy turned around the few away from the walls and towers of the Imperial Citadel, into the dark skies over Koopa Central. Her final ingredient had proved extremely difficult to find. Everywhere she looked, Crystal Coconuts and their milk had been confiscated, either gone missing or stolen by mysterious forces. Only they weren't so mysterious now, thanks to the research she'd done. " _Seven Stars doesn't want anybody brewing potions powerful enough to mess with their plans."_ Kammy thought, before smiling and urging her broom forward as she flew into a cloud. " _Now that'll come back to bite em' once I track them down."_


	44. The Grand Star's Ambition

**Chapter Forty-Four: The Grand Star's Ambition**

Koops glanced out of one of the windows in Hooktail Castle. The sky was full of airships...most of them the standard Airship Mk. II that made up most of the imperial fleet, but there were a few of the sleeker Mk. IIIs mixed in amongst them. He gave a deep sigh.

Koops did not like what was going on. He'd hated every moment of it since the beginning, but as the war seemed to be nearing a close, a sense of apprehension seemed to be growing. The Koopa Empire had made life worse for everyone, but under the Neo Empire, people's lives would be restricted under Ludwig's iron fist. The eldest Koopaling's meticulous desire for order and control would lead to a world where non-Imperial citizens would have no rights and freedoms, and would be treated as little better than slaves under the Koopa regime.

If he'd had his way, he would've fought against it with all his might, but real life was far more unpleasant. Koops left the window and walked down the floor, which was red-coloured and covered in star patterns. He strode through a door into a larger hall with a gallery ringing around it, which was full of officers conversing. He could hear the low rumble of airships outside. The Neo Empire was preparing for what would likely be their biggest battle yet. Ludwig had given Larry an order to crush what remained of Bowser Jr's fleet. Once it was destroyed, only the Koopa Central Elite Forces remained between Ludwig and the throne.

Various officers gave Koops respectful bows as he passed. He was their superior officer after all; as a member of High Command, he was the second-highest authority in Sector One itself, with only Prince Larry having command over him. It was strange, how he, a former ally of Mario's who'd never renounced his loyalties, a Koopa with no loyalties to his ancestral homeland, had manged to move up in the ranks. Without Larry, it never would've been possible.

Koops grit his teeth as he continued to move down the hall, past the groups of officers conversing as they prepared for the battle. After he'd been captured roughly two years after Mario's death, Larry had decided to play around with him. Transforming him into the perfect Koopa Troop member had been a personal experiment of his. The experiment had worked. Koops was legendary throughout the ranks, famous for his suppression of the Metro Kingdom army which had finally granted Emperor Bowser control over the world. Koops was well aware of the fact that before Sector One had joined the Neo Empire, he was being considered for promotion to Grand General once Shelldon retired. It was a position he did not want, but even it would be better than being the commander of Larry's forces, working towards leading his people towards suppression. Koops reached around and touched a scar on his left shoulder. The scar was an ancient Magikoopa rune that Larry had placed upon him...the main reason why he hadn't betrayed him. It was a curse of devastating effect. The second he did anything betraying Larry, it would activate and cause not only his death, but the deaths of his wife, Koopie Koo, and his two children. To keep them safe, he'd do anything.

Koops stopped at the end of the hall, where a colourful group of people were waiting for him. They were figures who, in the past, had been considered famous sports celebrities, fighters who had completely mastered their art. The Iron Harriers, the Magikoopa Masters, even Rawk Hawk himself...Larry hadn't thought it wise to let the Glitz Pit continue operating with it's current roster when the majority of them had been friendly with Mario. Instead, he'd pressed them all into service, just like he had with them.

"So, we ready to rawk?" Rawk Hawk asked, crossing his arms.

Koops nodded. "Yes." he said stiffly. "Let's go."

* * *

Antonio, supreme leader of Seven Stars, sat at his desk in his private office. The office was dimly lit and spacely furnished, having in it only Antonio's glass desk and high-backed chair. The entire back wall was a window that looked over the huge central shaft of the Seven Stars headquarters, with it's criss-crossing bridges and countless soldiers and agents passing every which way, carrying out their roles as small cogs within the colossal machine that Antonio had brought into being.

Antonio leaned back and closed his eyes. There was near-complete silence within the Grand Star's office. Antonio liked silence; it helped him think. He had done a lot of thinking over the decades, laying out his plans and setting down the rules of the game, but that time was nearly ever. His pieces needed to move only a few steps more, and then his dream would finally be realized. He had come so far.

Only yesterday, it seemed, he had been that boy in Rose Town, full of dreams and ambition and wanting something more than taking on the carpenter's trade from his father, Gonzolo. He had left the small forest village at the age of eighteen, aiming to travel the world and find his true purpose in life. His travels led him to the Koopa Kingdom, where, as luck would have it, a chance encounter led to him falling in with the young Prince Morton Koopa.

Morton was a kindred spirit. The two shared the same passion for life and the same desire to put their talents to good use. Just as Antonio sought a life beyond simple manual labor, Morton something beyond becoming the king his father was trying to groom him into, and to take a more direct role in solving problems than drafting bills. The two had become fast friends, and the adventures they had had while travelling the kingdom together would be enough to fill several books. In time, he and Morton had started to work towards realizing their dreams of stopping corruption and defending both the Mushroom and Koopa kingdoms. They created an organization together, and had given it a meaningful name. Just like the Seven Star spirits granted wishes from on high and the seven Crystal Stars had sealed away the Shadow Queen and ended her reign of terror, so would their new Seven Stars grant the wishes of the people and protect the world from threats within and without.

He'd been so hopeful and altruistic those days, Antonio remembered. They'd brought in more members to their organization...like his brother Giovanni, and the former hitman and thief, Skallz Fortiscule. With the organization steadily growing, working from the shadows, Antonio was able to free the Mushroom Kingdom from the control the Pianta Syndicate had gained over it. King Alfred Toadstool had been a weak ruler and had relied on the Piantas for loans, but striking from the Shadows, Seven Stars had dealt the syndicate a blow that not even the legendary "Don of Untimely Death" had ever been able to recover from.

Seven Stars had blazed a trail of peace for the two kingdoms, striking down crime syndicates and corrupt politicians and corporations. But when Antonio's life had never looked brighter, everything had suddenly collapsed. King Yoser, Morton's father, suddenly died, forcing Morton to ascend to the throne of the Koopa Kingdom and leave his seat at the Seven Stars Board of Directors. Antonio continued without him, of course, continuing to defend the Mushroom Kingdom from the shadows. That was, of course, until the great famine of the Koopa Kingdom. Perhaps the sense of harsh justice Morton had gained when working with Seven Stars led him to take action. While the Koopas were in desperate need of new land to re-grow their food supplies, the Mushroom Kingdom had never been better and King Alfred refused to give the Koopas aid. So, Antonio knew, Morton had come to the conclusion that King Alfred simply had to go. The Mushroom Kingdom would become part of the Koopa Kingdom, under Morton's rule.

Antonio had never had much love for Alfred Toadstool, but he did love the Mushroom Kingdom. Not only would it lose it's identity, it would be stripped of resources and used to rebuild the weakened Koopa Kingdom. He'd tried to appeal to his old friends, but they fell on deaf ears. So began the conflict that became known as the First Koopa War.

The war had been long and taxing. As a result of the intense training they'd done during their younger years, Morton and Antonio had become several times stronger than anyone else on either side, and their clashes had been enough to change the landscape itself. When in the past they had been best friends, in the war they became the worst of enemies.

But those days had not been all bad, Antonio remembered, allowing himself a slight smile. He'd met a beautiful woman named Evelina, who stood by his side as he defended the Mushroom Kingdom against the Koopa forces. They were married, and Evelina gave birth to twin brothers...all while the war was raging around the kingdom. At this point the battle was even, and no one could tell which side would triumph.

Then had come that fateful day. As usual, the two armies clashed and Antonio and Morton met hand to hand, burning the forests and shaking the mountains as they exchanged blows. The battlefield was five miles away from the small village Evelina lived in with baby Mario and Luigi, but in a fight of that scale, that meant nothing. Perhaps he had done the deed, perhaps Morton had...either way, the village had been destroyed, razed to the ground by a combination of their blasts and the tremors created by their blows. When the Koopas had finally been driven off, Antonio had found his wife, dead in the woods the surrounded the village. She had crawled away, heavily wounded, desperate to get her children away from the danger.

Full of rage, Antonio had led the Mushroom army in a fearsome campaign, smashing the Koopas and engaging with his former friend in a climactic battle, finally ending the life of Morton Koopa Sr. When the dust cleared, the Mushroom Kingdom was ravaged, mountains and forests destroyed by their great strength.

Most people in the kingdom believed Antonio, too, had been killed, and Antonio found it best to take advantage of that and disappear. As he had looked over the ruins of the kingdom he had tried to protect, he had realized the truth of things. People had become too powerful, and it had cost the lives of Evelina and millions of others. If all were equal...if there was no magic, no wishes, no great minds or people of great ambition, the world would at least know true peace. To achieve this end, Antonio, with his chief lieutenants Giovanni and Skallz, disappeared into the shadows, creating the new Seven Stars and obtaining supremacy throughout the international underworld. Antonio trained and amassed weapons, doing nothing as the Shroobs descended from the skies to conquer the world.

To achieve the first step of his plan, there would have to be another great war between the Koopa and the Mushroom kingdoms. As such, he had started these conflicts by ordering the murder of King Bowser's wife, which caused him to begin his kidnapping of Princess Peach. To his disappointment, it took many years for the conflict to reach critical point, but when it had, after the wedding of his son Mario and the Princess, everything finally began to fall into place. Soon after the apparent death of Mario, Antonio had been contacted by a... _certain someone,_ who had given him the tools to achieve his final plan.

Antonio called it the Starfall. It was an event of apocalyptic proportions, which would destroy even Star Haven itself. When it was over, every person in the world...no, the universe itself, who had potential to become a person of note would be dead. The powers of magic, wishes, even power-ups would cease to exist, and at last there would be true, blissful...silence.

Antonio opened his eyes and stood up, placing his hands upon his glass desk. Yes...the time for the meeting was about now. He allowed himself a small smile. People might try to fight it...but in the end, it was inevitable. No matter what complications, his plan _would succeed._

* * *

Antonio stepped into the Seven Stars council room. It was a medium-sized oval chamber, in which the walls were made up completely of screens showing live views of various places in the Mushroom World. Toad Town, Koopa Central, Ludwig von Koopa's palace...Seven Stars could observe them all effortlessly. The only piece of furniture in the table was a long glass table with seven seats. Five out of the seven were filled, and their occupants rose as Antonio arrived.

"Thank you." Antonio said, as he eased into his tall chair at the head of the table. The entire room was lit with dark orange lights, which made the glass table glow like fire. "Now let us begin."

At Antonio's right hand was seated a man who bore a striking resemblance to his son Mario. He wore green overalls and a blue shirt and cap, and on his cap was the letter "G". The man was, of course, his younger brother Giovanni, who held the rank of Blue Star. Giovanni's left hand rested on the table. He had lost it during the First Koopa War, so he'd replaced it with a mechanical one. Giovanni had a great many scientific talents, and there were reasons other than blood that he was Antonio's right-hand man.

"The Koopa fleet and the Neo Empire are ready to clash above the Blooper Sea." Giovanni reported, twirling his waxed moustache. "I predict a significant Neo Empire victory."

"Don't underestimate the newcomers, Giovanni." Skallz smiled. He was seated at Antonio's left hand, and had his hat resting causally down so it covered most of his face. "I haven't had so much fun fighting somebody since old Morton died."

"Those idiots can't possibly change the course of this war." Sthnadlash growled from further down the table. "I faced them myself...they're above average, but far below our own levels."

"Enough." Antonio silenced them, raising his hand. "It does not matter who wins the war. All that matters is that the final conflict escalates. Once the war reaches breaking point...that is when we will strike."

"I am pleased to report, Grand Star sir, that Fire Flower is at the end of the rope!" Toadificus, the moustached Toad who held the rank of Green Star spoke up. "We won't need to work with Yoshi much more."

"Excellent." Antonio nodded. That was good...as a Star Child, Yoshi could not be allowed to escape the Starfall.

"Grand Star, sir..." Krezena said, glancing at the empty seat next to her. "When do you think the Red Star will be ready to join as at the table?"

"Not yet." Antonio replied firmly. It was best not to rush these things. The seat of Red Star, originally filled by Morton Koopa Sr, himself, had been filled by a few people over the years, but it had been vacant for a long time. Once his son joined him in his mission, things would truly be complete. He would soon. Twenty years worth of power augmentation and mental manipulation would finally pay off. "However..." he smiled, and turned his gaze on his brother. "Giovanni...it's time we make use of our...other asset, don't you think?"

Giovanni's eyes widened. "The Princess?" she exclaimed. "Now?"

Antonio nodded. "Her appearance will be the final push we need to to ensure all of our pieces are in position. After the dust clears...the Mushroom World will see it's last battle." Antonio propped up his elbow on his armrest and rested his head on his fist. _"Try to change your destiny, my unworthy younger son and Morton's brat. No matter what either of you do, the world as you know it will come to an end."_

* * *

The fleet of battleships moved through the air, breaking through the thick clouds above the sea, their flags fluttering in the wind. It was nearly the size of Bowser Jr's original fleet...although there was one crucial difference. This was all the reserves, all the ships assigned to patrols and guard duty, even a few ships that had just come out of the factories and didn't have their paint jobs yet. If this fleet was destroyed, only the Koopa Central Elite Force stood between Ludwig and the throne.

Cobal and Strike stood next to a window, watching their fellow ships in the fleet float by. "Is it weird being back with the Koopas, but on our side?" Cobal asked the scarred Fire Bro.

Strike shrugged. "That doesn't matter to me." he replied calmly. "I was going to fight in this battle either way, and the opinions of others don't really bother me."

"I dunno..." Cobal said, continuing to gaze out of the window. "I can't help but to feel...you know, real nervous about this." he glanced back at Strike. "I've fought in war before, but this is a whole new level!"

"It's an air battle." Strike replied. "It's not exactly the same. Most of the fighting is done by the pilots and strategists on the bridge and the gunners manning the Bill Blasters. We just have to make sure nobody boards our own ship."

"And lemmie guess...maybe do a bit of boarding ourselves?" Cobal asked, glancing down the window. There was nothing but ocean below them. "You know, I'd hate to fall from this hate."

Strike smiled dryly. "Best keep fluttering those legs of yours, kid. You're going to need to."

Cobal took a deep breath. He didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling about this fight. Plus, the words of the strange woman kept grating on him. Abandon the people of the Mushroom World to their fate. No way he'd do that, right?"


	45. Battle over the Blooper Sea

**Chapter Forty-Five: Battle over the Blooper Sea**

 _Well, this has probably been the longest wait for a chapter yet, but I'm glad I finally managed to get it out! Hopefully the rest of the chapters will come out sooner!_

Luigi stood on the bridge of Bowser Jr's flagship, the _Megashell,_ the sounds of the control consoles and the chatter of the bridge crew around him. He glanced back; behind him, Bowser Jr sat on a slightly raised platform on a huge chair, backed by a huge banner with the Koopa Empire emblem. It was unnerving just how much the prince resembled his father. Bowser Jr was some little bratty kid with a high-pitched laugh...this full-grown Koopa was just like Bowser, only somehow more intense and with less of a sense of humour. What had happened to the fun-loving Bowser Jr of the past? Perhaps the war had affected not just the people of the Mushroom Kingdom in negative ways.

Luigi looked through the massive windows at the front of the bridge. The ocean was an endless, flat blue plain, with barely a wave on the surface, while only a few clouds drifted through the sky. The bridge of a warship was an alien place to him. He'd much rather be at the front of the battle, stomping on enemies and pummelling them with his hammer, but Bowser Jr had insisted that he remain up here, as he didn't feel comfortable commanding the Mushroom Kingdom troops himself. _"Is that really what he wants, or does he want me near him so I don't try to betray him?"_ Luigi thought. " _Oh...Mario, I miss the days when all our adventures were simple and straightforward."_

A Koopa seated at one of the communications panels gave a shout. "They've shown up on our scanners!" he exclaimed. "The Neo Empire fleet is coming for us!"

Larry leaned back on his comfortable leather seat, grinning and showing his pointed teeth. He was on the bridge of one of the new Airship Mk. IIIs, on a tower suspended high above the rest of the warship. His new ship, which he had affectionately named _Cheatsy_ after his childhood nickname, was one of the few new airships that hadn't been given Ludwig's design, instead bearing his own face on the figurehead. He was so egotistical, that one...in fact, Larry often doubted he'd even be a good ruler, in spite of his ambition. That didn't really matter though, since Larry was more fighting for sheer enjoyment than for any sort of political belief.

"Guns at the ready, boys?" Larry asked his crew, who were operating the glowing blue holographic control consoles. Bowser Jr's fleet loomed in front of them, a long, dark line of ships. Larry smirked; for Bowser Jr to assemble a fleet of this size after the destruction of the last one could only mean he'd pulled out all the reserves. Once this fleet was destroyed, the war was all but won, aside from the Koopa Central Elite Force. Not even that would be able to stand against the Neo Empire's new, more advanced army. Larry chuckled as he rested his head on his propped-up fist, while he watched his fleet (consisting mostly of Mk. II airships, bearing his own design in addition to some of Ludwig, Roy, and Wendy's), move forward to engage the enemy in battle. Once Ludwig was emperor and his power secure...what in the world was he going to do?

"They're in range now, your highness!" a Shy Guy crew member shouted as Larry's fleet drew closer and closer, casting shadows down on the calm blue sea below.

"FIRE!" Bowser Jr roared. Luigi heard a rumble as the dozens of Bill Blasters mounted on the warship fired, followed by the rest of the hundreds of ships letting lose their missiles.

"Toadette!" Luigi shouted, shouting into his phone. "Do what they're doing!"

"You bet, Luigi!" the voice of Toadette shouted back enthusiastically.

Several flashes shone in the main window as the enemy fleet returned fire. Luigi braced himself. The fight had begun.

The corridor Cobal was in shook as the enemy bullet bills struck the ship, causing him to tumble to the right and grab onto the wall for support. Strike took the shake better; Cobal guessed the Fire Bro had been in airship battles before. Almost as soon as Cobal had recovered his balance, the ship shook again as it was struck once more by an enemy projectile.

"Come on!" Strike, shouted, running forward and gesturing for Cobal to follow. "We've got to get to the outdoors deck so we can fight off borders!"

"Got it!" Cobal shouted back, following the Fire Bro. They dashed through the corridors, following a steadily growing group of Koopa Troop members mixed with Toads. The ship shook again, but Cobal was more prepared this time and only felt slightly disoriented.

Outside on the deck, Cobal saw that the enemy fleet was frighteningly close...and coming closer. A big battleship with the figurehead of some Koopa with poofy blue hair launched what had to be over a dozen bullet bills at a ship slightly above and to their right, blasting chunks off wood off the hull. A Bill Blaster right next to them fired with enough force to shatter Cobal's eardrums, sending a bullet bill screaming off in it's direction to explode against the enemy ship's hull. A ship with Roy's figurehead (Cobal remembered the design from his battles back in Conkdor Canyon) launched a bullet bill at their ship, which rocked the deck and filled it with the tint of smoke.

"Man, I miss the Flyin' Krock!" King K Rool shouted off to Cobal's right. The Kremling king shook his fist at the enemy fleet, which seemed to stretch on forever in all direction, countless battleships bearing the symbols of the leaders of the Neo Empire. "Why are we all open like this! I don't wanna get my brains blown out by one of those angry lookin' missiles!"

"Shut up!" Strike snapped. "Look ahead... _that's_ why!"

Cobal glanced at the closest enemy warships. Like a cloud of gnats, hundreds of Paratroopas, Paragoombas, and Fly Guys were coming for them, as the two sides exchanged cannonfire, the resounding booms filling the air.

"They're trying to board us." Prince Peasley said, drawing his rapier. "Let's stop them here before they breach our defences!"

Cobal readied his muscles as the multi-coloured cloud of enemies approached them. He saw the Paratroopas getting into their shells...what seemed like a single, agonizing second passed.

The Koopas shot at them. Cobal leapt out of the way of a green-shelled Paratroopa, before spinning around and kicking him as he emerged from his shell, knocking him out of the way. He saw K Rool grab another Koopa's shell mid-air, stopping his flight and hurling it overboard with all his strength. Peasley wove away from shell after shell, slashing with his sword...

"Behind you!" Strike shouted, blasting away a trio of Paragoombas with a large fireball. Cobal ducked under a shell and stretched out his tongue, before spitting it out with the force of a bullet, knocking a Fly Guy out of the sky. The cannons around them were firing, making it so Cobal could hardly hear at all, and as the enemy bullet bills struck the ship, the deck rocked and the air was filled with smoke as Cobal delivered a hard punch of the face of a boarding Paratroopa. War sure was a mess, wasn't it?

Luigi watched on the bridge as the two fleets exchanged fire. The _Megashell_ had been struck several times but did not appear to be in any danger; the same could not be said for three of the other warships in Bowser Jr's fleet, which had scrummed to their repeated battering and burst into flames, sinking through the air to crash into the ocean below. He wished to all the stars that none of his Mushroom Kingdom warships would suffer the same fate.

A cheer came up from the crew as explosions broke out on one of the Neo Empire ships bearing Wendy's design, causing it to tilt to the side and begin to loose air. The mood was quickly interuppted by one of the Shy Guys at a communications panel, who exclaimed,

" _Lakitu's Cloud_ is taking heavy fire! Captain Goodshell is starting the evacuation!"

Bowser Jr growled. "Get the fleet into the Banzai Bill Formation." he ordered fiercely. "We need to smash through their defence!"

"Yes, sir!" his lieutenant, a red-shelled Koopa, saluted.

" _This is taking too long."_ Luigi mused as he paced back and forth from one end of the bridge to the other. They were outnumbered and outgunned. Yes, not so much as to make victory impossible, but it would be a long battle with several losses even if they were to triumph. He had trained the people of Toad Town, and he did not want to lead them to their deaths!

He needed to think, the same way he thought when he'd been fighting alongside Mario. He needed to think of this whole fleet as if it was his own body, and Larry's fleet as if it was just another Koopa troop fortress he had to get through. Luigi peered through the main window, at the enemy ships which were being struck by countless bullet bills, fires breaking out on their hulls. There were five ships at the fleet's centre...sleek, futuristic craft, slightly larger than the other airships. They were firing laser blasts instead of bullet bills, and, as he watched, one blasted quite the hole in an allied airship with Morton's design.

Five extra-advanced airships. Four were at the front lines, leading the attack, while the fifth hung back, close enough to get a clear view of the fighting but well-defended enough so as to not take the full brunt of the enemy attack. It was just like the way the Koopalings used to do things, hanging back in their castles behind their pompous and ornate doors, hoping their death traps and minions would do the work for them as he and Mario would make their way through the castles...

"Junior!" Luigi exclaimed, turning around to face the large spiked Koopa on the command seat. "That new airship that's hanging back from the action...that's Larry's command ship!"

Bowser Jr sat up straight. "Yeah, well what are we going to do about it?" he exclaimed. "There's no way we'll be able to reach it, not for a long while!"

"We need to send somebody over." Luigi urged, as the explosions boomed around him, rocking the bridge. "If I go to Larry's ship and beat him, this battle will be over!"

"No!" Bowser Jr roared, slamming his fist down on the armrest. "I need you to stay here; who knows what you'd do if you were gone!?"

Luigi sighed; Bowser Jr was being way too paranoid for his own good! Didn't he understand that defeating the Neo Empire would benefit both of them? "Fine then!" Luigi shot back. "We can send somebody else, like Mario's old partners. I can stay on the ship...and then we can stop Larry!"

"Fine." Bowser Jr growled. "Do it. But if they step out of line..."

Luigi sighed again and called Toadette on his phone. "Toadette, I need you to get a Starshroom ready!" he said quickly. "I need a small squad of Mario's own allies to take out the new kind of airship...the one that's being protected."

"You bet, Luigi!" Toadette replied. "But that's rather dangerous, don't you think?"

A Bullet Bill whizzed past the Starshroom as it wove through the chaotic skies, dodging Bullet Bills and Banzai Bills while explosions boomed around it. Gonzales felt tense as he sat in his seat in the Starshroom's small, circular cabin; he wasn't made for this, he was made for super-intense, one-on-one blood-pumping fights!

"C...careful!" Vivian shrieked as a Bullet Bill sped towards the front window. Ms. Mowz yanked the steering yoke the right, nearly scraping against the hull of one of the Neo Empire's warships. Up ahead, it's blue hull shining in the sunlight, Larry's flagship loomed, blasting lasers from the turrets that covered it. It was surrounded by several other ships, but a ship this small should be able to slip by without notice...

The Starshroom shook. Warning sirens began to sound as Ms. Mowz fought with the controls, pulling it up just in time before it crashed into a huge figurehead of Ludwig.

"What's going on!?" Gonzales shouted angrily, ignoring safety and standing up.

"We've been hit!" Goombella exclaimed. "Mowz, is it stable?"

"I'm trying, sweetie!" she shot back, as a Bullet Bill missed them by a hair. "But this thing isn't staying in the air for much longer!"

"Try to steer it into Larry's ship!" Goombella shouted. "Luigi's counting on us; we can't fail our mission!"

Ms. Mowz grit her teeth and urged the ship forward. Explosions enveloped the warship behind them as it was struck by a barrage of Bullet Bills from the allied Mushroom Kingdom/Bowser loyalist fleet. Blue light filled the Starshroom as a laser streaked past it.

"Hold on, girls...this is going to be rough!" Ms. Mowz exclaimed as Larry's warship approached, closer...closer...

Yoshi was flung to the ground as the Starshroom skidded to a stop, kicking up sparks as it slid across the top of Larry's warship. Finally it stopped, in the shadow of the command tower looming high above them.

"Ok." Larry said, standing up to face his crew. "HOW did that get through our defences?"

"It was rather small, Prince Larry..." one Koopa said timidly. "These guns were mainly designed to hit big targets..."

"Ah, whatever!" Larry sighed. This sure was annoying. The people on board that little ship were likely halfway-decent fighters; no way an escape pod carrying a pack of frightened Toads would be out here in the middle of enemy territory. He'd probably have to go fight them himself, when he'd been hoping to spend this entire battle lounging on his admittedly quite cozy command chair.

"Uh...Prince Larry, sir?"

"Yes, Koops?" Larry shot back, turning around. His rather timid second-in-command had been hanging around near the back of the bridge since the fighting had begun. Was he worried about the Mushroom Kingdom ships they were shooting at? That really didn't matter, though...there was no way Koops could escape him. That magic rune had been seared onto his skin, and as soon as he took any action against him, his family back in Petalburg would immediately be killed.

"If it's ok with you...I can fight them." Koops said. He had his eyes on the ground and seemed unenthusiastic about it. That didn't fool Larry though. Koops had all the strength of someone who had fought alongside with Mario against the legendary ruler of darkness herself...and his strength had only increased thanks to the intense training he'd done over the years. There was nobody on the opposing side who could defeat Koops except for one of his siblings or Luigi, of that he was certain.

"Go to town, Koopsy." Larry said, snapping his fingers. "Get those losers off my ship."

The top of Larry's ship seemed rather stable. Gonzales supposed this was due to it's defended position which allowed it to avoid enemy fire, but the logistics of those things didn't matter to him. He just needed to find somebody to fight.

The command tower rose above them. Gonzales would've bet a million coins Larry Koopa was up there, smugly directing the battle. Of course...he wouldn't be doing that for long. Gonzales had made sure to keep in shape during the many years he'd been imprisoned. He hadn't had a proper 1v1 in over a decade, but he'd let it be known that the champion of the Glitz Pit wasn't about to hang up his belt just yet!

There was a sort of turret-covered structure at the end of the ship, from which rose the command tower. There was a small door leading into it, probably used for maintenance. As Gonzales and his companions approached, the door slid open, revealing a shadowy silhouette.

"Oooh, things are finally going to get started." Flurry said, sucking in a gust of wind.

Gonzales readied himself. He saw Vivian, to his right, ignite fire around her fist. He stretched his arms. Yeah, he wasn't the Glitz Pit's boy wonder anymore, but he still wasn't old. It was time to prove he still had what it took to be the best!

The figure stepped out of the doorway. "Hey, guys." Koops said in an embarrassed voice, scratching the back of his head. "I'm really sorry about this...but I'm going to be your opponent."

Antonio stood on a tall balcony overlooking a room full of computers, bathed in a dim purple light. Below him, his agents worked tirelessly...in front of him, the massive battled between the factions played out on a huge, theatre-sized screen. He allowed himself a smirk.

"Antonio." came the voice of Giovanni. Antonio turned to see his shorter brother step up beside him, flecking his mechanical hand. "Is it time."

"Yes." Antonio said, turning back to the screen. "Let's bring Princess Peach into the game."


	46. Princess Peach

**Chapter Forty-Six: Princess Peach**

 _Congrats, everyone, we've finally reached 300 reviews! This is a milestone I never thought that I'd reach when I first started to right this story, so I've very grateful for all the positive feedback I've gotten. Please look forward to the story's future! And yes...it will be completed. It's just not my number one priority and so I often don't have time to work on it. I'll still try to get at least one chapter out every week, though._

* * *

While the sky was still blue and the day was still clear, a thunderstorm seemed to rage over the centre of the Blooper Sea. Warships on both sides exchanged ferocious bullet bill fire, with ships scrumming to their damage and bursting into flames, sinking through the air towards the ocean. Already the sea was littered with blasted wrecks, the surviving crew members scrambling around on them hoping that the fight would end soon so they could be rescued. Unfortunately, it did not appear as if that would happen soon. Both sides had the numbers to fight a prolonged battle. This fight could go on for days...perhaps even weeks.

In the midst of all that chaos, with Bullet Bills flying left and rest, a golden light suddenly shone forth, like a star which fell down to earth. The light stretched across the ocean, reflecting off the cannons and off the bridge windows, dying the ocean a brilliant shade of orange...and then it faded.

There, between the two fleets of heavily-armed battleships, was a platform that seemed to be made of golden light. Hovering above that platform, within a golden bubble, was a tall, blonde woman, dressed in a pink dress adorned with a blue jewel. A person which most in the world believed to be dead had returned to life.

* * *

Cobal slugged an enemy Paratroopa, causing the invader to collapse to the deck. Already the deck of the airship was littered with the bodies of both friend and enemy. Most seemed to just be unconscious, thankfully, but others...Cobal gulped. All-out war was much worse than the jaunts to Bowser's Castle the Mario brothers had done in the past.

"Hey...uh, guys..." came K Rool's gravelly voice. "Any one of you know what that means?" he pointed towards the glowing platform. Cobal had been aware of the light, but thanks to his shades he'd ignored it. It was probably just the sun; why bother about that when a Paragoomba was trying to headbutt you with a head that seemed to be made of iron?

Strike casually blasted away a Paragoomba duo with a burst of flame and joined K Rool near the edge of the ship. "It's some kind of girl." he said, loudly so that he could be heard over the sounds of the cannons.

"T...that's not just a girl!" Peasley exclaimed, getting up. He'd suffered a nasty collision with a Paratroopa's shell while trying to defend an injured Toad from a Fly Guy. "That's Princess Peach!"

Princess Peach? The legendary ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, who had been both wise and kind, the one true love of Mario's, who had vanished without a trace on the day her newlywed husband had died? Cobal ran to join K Rool, squinting his eyes to try to get a look at the princess. The cannons seemed to be slowing down. Likely everyone on both sides was watching, wondering if this was some sort of illusion...

Peasley was the first to speak. "We can't leave her like this!" he exclaimed. "It would violate my honour as the prince of the Beanbean Kingdom if I left a defenceless princess in the middle of a war zone! Worse, if we don't make a move soon, Larry will!"

"What's so great about her?" K Rool asked, scratching his head. "She's just some girl in a pink dress. Not a single claw or muscle on her."

"K Rool." Strike said sternly. "Princess Peach is the symbol of hope and peace for the entire Mushroom Kingdom. If we save her...the effects will be global. It will change the entire war."

"Kay, let's stop talking, guys." Cobal said, putting his foot on the guardrail and looking at Strike. "Strike, we got any form of air transport?"

"There's always Clown Cars in the hold." Strike replied, still fixed on Princess Peach.

"Great." Cobal smirked. "We got a princess to save."

* * *

This had to be a dream. Luigi felt frozen in time, unable to tear his eyes away from the woman who was in the middle of the air, shining with a divine golden light. Was this Princess Peach? Was this one of Larry's tricks? For all he knew, Princess Peach was simply a magical construct that would explode the second somebody got close to it. But...what if it really was her?

Luigi hated charging in. He preferred to assess the situation and come up with a good strategy. But there was no time for that now. He needed to save Princess Peach. If she fell into the hands of either one of the Koopa armies...

It was then that Luigi remembered where he was. He was on the bridge of Bowser Jr's flagship, surrounded by Koopas on all sides.

"I...it's really her..." came Bowser Jr's voice. Luigi turned around to see the Koopa prince walking to the front of the bridge, his eyes wide.

" _This won't be easy."_ Luigi thought to himself. " _Of course he's going to try to get her back for his father!"_

Bowser Jr towered over Luigi, and his footsteps seemed to shake the floor. "I want-" he began to order his crew, but Luigi interrupted him.

"Bowser Jr..." he began, his heart beating, "You can't do this..."

Bowser Jr suddenly roared, with so much force that it seemed to Luigi that he was being hit by a strong gale of wind. "Do you understand, Luigi?" Bowser Jr exclaimed. "Do you know what my father's been going through?"

"I...I know!" Luigi replied, trying to sound sympathetic. The eyes of all the crew were on him; both they and Junior could strike at any moment. "B...but...the Princess doesn't belong to him, Junior! She belongs back in her kingdom, back with the people who love her!"

"I LOVE HER!" Bowser Jr roared, before, without warning, grabbing Luigi in one of his clawed hands and hurling him across the bridge. Luigi hit the back wall and felt the wood splinter around him, as his head throbbed with pain.

* * *

Koops stepped forward. In the silence that had filled the skies since the appearance of the golden light, Gonzales could hear every step of his feet. Koops did not look angry or intimidating in any way. He simply looked...sad.

"S...so it really is true!" Goombella exclaimed in shock, taking a step back. "He...he really went over to their side!"

"What's all this about, Koops!?" Gonzales exclaimed, stepping forward until there was less than a foot between him and the Koopa. Koops had been one of Mario's best allies; a Koopa who had overcome his fear and become a force to be reckoned with. Gonzales remembered watching him as a young kid, shell-slamming his opponents in the Glitz Pit...he'd been somebody he'd looked up to! "This isn't like you!"

Koops' eyes were downcast. "I'm sorry, Gonzales." he said. "But...well..." he looked upwards and faced them all with a sad smile. "That's just the way life is, isn't it?"

"Y...you-" Gonzales started, but before he could finish his sentence, Koops immediately retracted into his shell and launched himself at him. Koops' shell struck Gonzales hard in the chest, forcing him down before he could make a single move. Gonzales fell hard on his back. Koops' shell shot over him, crashing into Flurry before rebounding into Ms. Mowz with a clash. Koops ducked back out of his shell just as Goombella leapt into the air, attempting a headbonk...a move which was quickly sidestepped by Koops, who darted back into his shell and crashed into the Goomba before spinning towards Vivian. Vivian ducked into the shadows to evade Koops' attack, appearing behind him as he once again left his shell. His entire body in pain, Gonzales watched Vivian charge up fire in her first, preparing to deliver a decisive strike. "Come on, girl...you can do it..." Gonzales urged.

Koops' hand lashed out, grabbing Vivian's arm and preventing her from landing the punch. He then spun around and delivered a solid blow to her face, downing the Shadow Siren. Gonzales closed his eyes sighed. He had to get up. He had to. Koops had gotten so much more powerful than they had...but shouldn't they still be able to beat him together?

Gonzales opened his eyes and began to force his body to rise, but before he could even get up, pain flashed through his body as Koops stepped on his hand, crushing his fingers underneath the sole of his shoe.

"I'm sorry, Gonzales." Koops said emotionlessly. "But you just can't win."

* * *

The radiant, golden light that surrounded Princess Peach seemed to shine in Larry's eyes. As if memorized, he left his command seat and strode to the front of the bridge until he was right up to the massive window. "Princess Peach..." he said, his smile growing. "This battle's starting to get tasty." New schemes were running through Larry Koopa's mind as he gazed at the faint, angelic silhouette of the woman he had spent his entire youth trying to capture. His father was still obsessed with her, that was a well-known fact. This could be the end of the war. If he captured Princess Peach and offered his dad a trade, the throne for the princess, likely Emperor Bowser would accept. Ludwig would get his throne, and he'd get recognition as the man who brought down the Koopa Empire and ushered in a new era. He'd be able to do anything he wanted.

"Captain, you're in charge." Larry said to a blue-robed Shy Guy. "I'm gonna go get the princess."

"B...but your highness!" the captain protested. "Alone? You could be killed!"

Larry laughed and patted the Shy Guy on his head. "Yah know, I don't think so." he chuckled. "It ain't easy to kill a guy like me. Dad survived falling into a star, for goodness sake. And I'm a whole lot more resourceful then Dad."

* * *

The green-robed General Guy dashed through the gilded halls of the Imperial Citadel, past glowering golden Bowser statues and stained-glass windows of volcanic landscapes, his boots nearly slipping on the red carpet. The emperor...he had to reach the emperor. Guy nearly collided with a Dry Bones servant in his frantic rush to the throne room, and, unlike usual, didn't even bother to apologize. This was more important than simple politeness. This concerned the fate of the entire Koopa Empire!

After the defeat of the Metro Kingdom army and the final achievement of world dominance, General Guy had been assigned to lead a special, elite divison who's sole purpose was locating Princess Peach. It was a dismal, mostly hopeless job, and spending so much time in the Imperial Citadel made it difficult to hang out with his fellow Elite Trio members. Princess Peach was clearly dead...it was a fact he had thought he'd known since the beginning. She'd been collateral damage; a stray Bob-omb or Bullet Bill, exploding at a precise enough angle to completely eradicate the princess' body and leave no remains. Everybody else in the division seemed to know it, too, and consider it an awful waste of time. Why use the empire's resources to try and find a dead princess when Fire Flower was still out there, raiding military bases and attacking civilians.

Then this had happened. While preforming yet another routine scan of the Evershade Valley, following some dubious rumour of a woman in pink who'd taken up residence near Gloomy Manor, Guy had gotten a call from Bowser Jr's lead adjutant, General Spiker, who had told him the news. Princess Peach was back...and somehow, she was right in the middle of the two armies.

Bowser had to know. The thing Guy was worried about was what Bowser would do once he found out. The Koopa Emperor had gotten even more unpredictable as of late. For all he knew, Bowser would even drop dead from shock. The throne room...one corridor to the left, and then straight down until you reached the big door...

 _Crash!_ Guy slammed against something hard, scaly, and not-to-pleasant smelling.

"What you doing, running around here like a screaming Toad? This is my castle!"

"M...my lord." Guy said, instantly kneeling right in the middle of the corridor. Bowser towered over him...still intimidating despite how much of a shadow of his old self he was.

Bowser placed his hands upon his hips. "Well?" he asked. "You going to explain yourself, or what?"

Guy bowed his head, as Bowser's fiery red eyes stared right into him. "Emperor Bowser." he whispered. "We...we've found her."

"Speak up, I can't hear you." Bowser groaned in an exhausted voice.

Guy leapt up, looking his monarch in the eye. "EMPEROR BOWSER!" he shouted. "WE'VE FOUND PRINCESS PEACH!"

Bowser seemed still for a moment, as if he'd been transformed into a statue like one of the dozens that lined the corridor. His eyes darted around wildly, as if he was having trouble processing the information. One of his hands tightened into a fist. Then, out of nowhere, Bowser roared.

"GWA HA HA HA HA!" he exclaimed, causing the extraordinarily tense General Guy to leap back in fright. "Princess Peach...Peach..." he breathed fire into the air like an erupting volcano, increasing the room's temperature by several degrees... "She's going to be happy to see me...finally, I'll have my empress!"

Bowser began to stomp closer to Guy, who edged back. "Where is she?" the emperor growled. "WHERE IS SHE?" without warning, Bowser descended into a fit of coughing, his coughs letting out sparks that flitted to the ground and sizzled into nothingness. " _Even the news of the princess can't cure Emperor Bowser's deteriorating health"_ , Guy thought sadly.

"She...she's in some kind of magic barrier, right in the war zone between our forces and Ludwig's." Guy explained in a more calm voice. "In the Blooper Sea."

"Guy." Bowser growled, leaning down so he was at the Shy Guy's eye level. "You are going to do exactly what I say. Gather the entire Elite Force. Empty Koopa Central, I really don't care. I specifically want the _Koopa Dominance_ in the air within ten minutes!"

"B...but my lord..." Guy protested, knowing how difficult all these orders would be to carry out. "At least leave the _Koopa Dominance_ behind. The final engine tests on your personal flagship have not yet been complete, you know."

"DO YOU GIVE THE ORDERS, OR DO I?" Bowser yelled, making Guy leap back as flames burst from his mouth. "You heard it, now do it! I've spent years lounging on my throne moping! It's time for the King of Awesome to burst back into the game!"


	47. Showdown

**Chapter Forty-Seven: Showdown**

 _Let me clarify something...this story is not dead. It hasn't even been too long since I've last updated. I've read fanfictions where there are months in between chapters. I intend to finish this story, I really do. I imagine it'll definitely be finished before this year's over. However, I have several writing projects I'm working on and this one isn't my top priority. As such, when I have time to write, I'll usually end up working on something a little more serious than this, which is the reason why I've been updating slower than you're all used to. However, I am still planning to finish this story and hope to have as short of a wait between chapters as possible. Please understand this and be patient...I won't leave you all hanging, never knowing how the story ends!_

* * *

The wind whipping at his face, Cobal leapt from the Clown Car he had taken from the battleship's hold. He landed firmly on the platform made of solid, golden light Princess Peach was hovering over. It was smooth, almost like glass. On either side of him, he could see the two huge fleets, which had paused in their fighting, and below him was the strangely calm sea, strewn with the wreckage of the destroyed vessels.

Cobal and his friends' flight to the princess had happened without any difficulty. Both the Bowser loyalists and the Neo Empire soldiers were probably waiting for their superiors' commands, although Cobal knew he'd have to deal with them eventually. Speaking of his own commander, what was Luigi thinking right now? He was up on the bridge of the flagship with Bowser Jr...yikes. That couldn't be good. Cobal forced himself to put it out of his mind. He had to do his duty right now. Worry about Luigi later.

Strike, K Rool, and Peasley hit the ground next to him, their feet making a slightly metallic ping. Just what was this platform made of, anyways? Pure magic? Above them, Princess Peach was still in the energy bubble she was trapped in, her eyes closed as if asleep. _"Is she even alive?"_ Cobal dared to think.

Suddenly, there was a flash of blue light. Cobal stepped back. "Get ready..." Strike shouted, igniting a fireball around his fist. As the light faded away...there was a large, spike-shelled Koopa with a blue mohawk and two long fangs standing in front of them, a smirk on his face.

"Ok, pals." the Koopa said. "I want you all to step away, nice and easy. The princess is coming with me."

"That's Larry Koopa!" Strike exclaimed.

K Rool curled his hand into a fist. "What's a prince to a king?" he laughed. "It's four against one, we can take em'!"

Larry laughed lightly. "Aww, you're too cute." he chuckled. "Come on, end this poor Koopa's game!" he spread his arms open wide, inviting them to attack.

Cobal knew something was up. But what could he do? Princess Peach was right above him! This was his chance to restore hope to the Mushroom Kingdom, to show the empire that they were undefeated.

"Come on, let's take em' down!" he shouted, charging forward. K Rool and Peasley joined him; only Strike hung back. Cobal leapt into the air just how Luigi taught him, preparing to deliver a crushing blow to Larry's head. Peasley pulled back his arm to prepare for a powerful sword thrust, while K Rool wound up his fist to smash into Larry's stomach.

All attacks hit at the same time...only where Larry had been just a moment ago, there was now only air. Caught off gaurd, Cobal stumbled to his feet, nearly being crushed by K Rool, who had toppled over.

"Heh, heh." Larry laughed. Cobal turned around...the Koopaling was now behind them, standing right where they had been when they'd launched their attacks. "Works every time." he stretched out his hands, which glowed with power. Bolts of lightning fired from his fingertips, streaking through the air and hitting Cobal and his friends. Cobal felt as if his skin was being fried...electricity covered every bunch of his skin, numbing his sense of feeling and making pain cut through every inch of his body...

Cobal fell, his skin smoking. His friends collapsed alongside him, a few stray electric currents flashing over them. Cobal strained to keep his eyes open as Larry sneered, clapping his hands.

"Yeah, great work, guys." he said.

Out of the corner of his eye, Cobal saw that Strike was to Larry's right, readying a fireball. Larry hadn't noticed him yet...

With a flash of orange light, Strike launched the fireball at Larry. The Koopaling hadn't noticed it, so there would be no way for him to teleport away! Cobal felt a surge of hope...until a shield of geometric Magikoopa runes appeared, covering exactly the right space necessary to protect Larry from the fireball, right before it could hit Larry's body. There was a bright explosion...and the runes disappeared, leaving Larry completely unharmed.

"A magic shield!" Strike realized, flaring fireballs in both hands.

"That's right!" Larry exclaimed, opening his right hand and summoning his wand, still with that smug smile on his face. "I make sure to cast a few protective charms on myself every time I go into a fight. Fire, ice, electricity, magic of all kinds...yeah, I'm immune. It's dirty, but hey, that's why they call me Cheatsy Koopa!"

As Strike rose his hands to launch his fireballs, Larry lashed out with his wand, sending out a magic blast that flew with unprecedented speed, hitting Strike with a blue flash knocked the Fire Bro back, nearly off the platform. Strike lay motionless.

"Now, let's get the girl." Larry chuckled.

* * *

Forcing himself to his feet, Luigi shook the dust off his overalls. Splintered wood lay around him as he stood in a corridor nearby the bridge of Bowser Jr's flagship. He could see the Koopa Prince stomping out of the gaping hole right now, casting a massive shadow before him that covered Luigi. A fear that Luigi had not felt since that last time he had faced Bowser covered him, and he shuddered.

"Uhh...c...can't we talk this out?" Luigi stammered. "We both love Princess Peach! Can't you see she'd be happier in her own kingdom?"

"NO!" Bowser Jr roared, letting out a massive gust of flame. With a quick step, Luigi side-stepped it, wincing as the red-hot blasted roared blast him, flying down the corridor into the hallway took a bend. The flames crashed into the wall, blowing a whole though it and causing a wild wind to whip at Luigi as the ship's inside was exposed to the elements.

Without wasting any time, Junior ducked into his shell and spun himself at Luigi, coming at the plumber like a whirlwind and eating up the floor beneath him, sending wood shavings flying through the air. Luigi turned around ran, as fast as his feet could carry him. The hole leading to the ship's outside was right in front of him, but Bowser Jr was gaining...

Just before the Koopa prince could strike Luigi, Luigi put all his energy into a Long Jump that send him out of the corridor and onto a gunning platform jutting out of the hull, it's Bill Blasters silent for once as the fleets waited to determine what would happen with the Princess. The nearby propellers spun rapidly, threatening to blow off Luigi's cap. He turned around and grit his teeth, tightening his hand into a fist as the wild wind blew at him. If Bowser Jr really wanted a fight...well, he really didn't have a choice, did he?

Bowser Jr reached the hole. "Don't you try to escape me, Luigi!" he shouted, charging forward into the gunner platform. He ran at the plumber with the force of a charging bull, swinging his meaty fist at his face, which Luigi quickly leapt over. Growling, Bowser Jr spun around, sweeping his heavy tail through the air. Just as it was about to strike Luigi's side, Luigi, tensing up his legs, leapt into the air, to Bowser Jr's shout of annoyance. He stomped down on the Koopa's green-scaled head, before vaulting onto a Bill Blaster, only for Junior to send a scorching fireball careening towards him. His reflexes kicking in, Luigi leapt off the Bill Blaster as the fireball blew it to bits, ducking under a second fireball Junior sent at him that must've singed his eyebrows. As the fire struck the side of the hull, leaving a big scorch mark, Luigi stood up and faced Bowser Jr.

"It doesn't have to be this way, Junior!" he pleaded to the huge, furious Koopa. "While we're out here fighting, Larry could be kidnapping Princess Peach! Do you really want her to fall into the Neo Empire's hands!"

"Them, you, it's the same thing!" Junior hissed, steam coming out of his nostrils. "The only person Peach belongs with is Dad!"

Bowser Jr stretched out his right arm. With a burst of magic, a long staff appeared in his hand. It resembled the Magic Paintbrush, only it was clearly a new model better suited for the adult Junior's larger size. The E Gadd logo underneath the brush was replaced with that of a Bowser head, surrounded by a ring of spikes. With a roar, Junior slashed his paintbrush through the air, splattering paint all over the hull. Goopy, liquid piranha plants burst from the ink spots, stretching their necks at Luigi and trying to catch him between their jaws. Luigi leapt, rolled, and ducked underneath the piranha's striking heads, before turning around and leading towards Bowser Jr, intending to land a punch of his face. Anticipating the move, Bowser Jr gripped his paintbrush with both hands and held it defensively. Luigi's boots hit the paintbrush and he vaulted off the staff, landing back on the ground and sliding a feet feet away from Junior.

"Hmmm..." Luigi realized, as he stared at at Bowser Jr's firey red eyes. He was really going to have to go all out in this fight, wasn't he?

Luigi tightened his arms into fists and he felt them get tingly and he focused electricity through his body. "Get him!" Junior roared, and every Piranha Plant struck as once. Luigi stretched out his hand just as all five Piranhas reached him, sending out an electric blast. Drops of ink rained down around Luigi as he readied himself, blue lighting flickering around his fists.

"You think that's enough to stop me?!" Bowser Jr shouted, pulling his paintbrush back to ready a massive swing.

"I'm sorry, Junior!" Luigi shouted, running towards the prince trailing lightning behind his fists. "But this is for the Mushroom Kingdom!"

Thunderhand fist and magic paintbrush met in a clash, sending out a sonic boom that reverberated throughout the fleet. Every window on Bowser Jr's flagship simultaneously shattered.

* * *

Every bone in the Great Gonzales Jr's body felt as if it had been shattered. His skin was bruised as his body was battered, but still, even though he hadn't felt this exhausted since his champion match with Rawk Hawk at the dawn of his career, Gonzales forced himself to persevere.

His teammates were in similar levels of distress. Ms. Mowz was lying on the ground; she looked barely concise. Goombella's face was once huge bruise, and the purple clouds that made up Flurry's body were misshapen from all the blows she'd taken. Vivian was in the best shape out of all of them, since his Veil technique had allowed her to dodge several of the attacks send her way, but the Shadow Siren had never been hearty and the repeated attacks were starting to take their toll upon her.

In the centre of it all, his white shoes placed firmly upon the blue hull of the futuristic warship they were fighting atop, was Koops, his face calm and emotionless. Nobody had managed to land a single hit on their former teammate since the battle had begun.

Gonzales made a fist, wincing as pain shot through his body. He'd tried to keep in shape in Stoneshell Prison, he really had. He'd done exercises, even practiced what fighting moves he could, and, considering he wasn't down for the count yet, he thought he'd done a darn good job of it. But the gap between Koops and the rest of Mario's old Rogueport companions had become too large. They stood against a seemingly unbeatable foe.

Forcing himself forward, Gonzales ran at Koops. If he was fast enough, he'd be able to catch him with his tongue and trap him in the egg, which would at least let them get a few good hits in...

Like a bullet, Koops launched himself at Gonzales, slamming into him and knocking all the wind out of his body. Gonzales fell to the cold metal ground, out of breath. Koops' green shell spun around behind him, before Koops emerged out of it, looking down at Gonzales with a cold look in his eyes.

"Koops...come on, buddy!" Gonzales joked as he struggled to rise. "You don't have to do this!"

"That's where you're wrong, Gonzales Jr." Koops said in a voice that made the Yoshi shiver. "I hate what Bowser has done to the world. I hate Ludwig's ambitions, and all of Larry's schemes. But, as I said, you're wrong. I do have to do this."

Koops advanced forward, stepping across the shiny blue hull with his polished white shoes. As his shadow loomed above Gonzales, Gonzales summoned the last of his strength and rose forward, gripping Koops by the shoulder so fast the Koopa didn't even have time to react.

"KOOPS!" Gonzales shouted at his old friend's face. "SHUT UP!"

"E...everyone!" Goombella's voice was weak, but there was the slightest hint of hope in it, one which made Gonzales' ears prick up. "I can see something...some sort of magic rune of Koops' back!"

Koops' eyes widened as Goombella quickly leafed through her green tattle log, desperately trying to remember where she had seen it before. At the sight, Goombella gave a little hop and a cry of excitement. "The Slave Seal!" she exclaimed. "It's an evil curse developed one thousand years ago by the servants of the Shadow Queen, to control the people they enslaved! Listen to this...when one is marked with the Slave Seal, they retain there will, but if they do anything that goes against their master, they will immediately die. What's worse...anyone who's bonded to them is also magically marked, meaning their loved ones will perish, too!"

"What did that creep do to you, Koops!?" Gonzales growled, swinging his fist at the Koopa. Koops caught Gonzales' arm with his hand and flung him to the ground.

"It doesn't matter." Koops said, standing over Gonzales with the ship's command tower looming over both of them. "Nothing does."

"Vivian!" Goombella croaked. "Follow my lead!"

Goombella ran towards Koops as fast as her little legs could carry her. Koops immediately abandoned Gonzales, sliding into his shell and slamming into the Goomba's face before she could even prepare a headbonk. Out of the corner of his eye, Gonzales saw Vivian disappear into the shadows. Flurrie flew through the air, preparing a bodyslam, but Koops' shell shot at him, knocking the wind out of the cloud spirit and making his slide of the ground.

For the last time, Gonzales urged his body forward. Pain shot through it with every step as he carried himself towards Koops, pulling back his fist.

Koops launched himself in his shell, striking Gonzales hard in the chest. There was a final flash of pain, and the yoshi felt all the strength go out of his body.

Vivian appeared behind Koops, pointing her finger right at Koops' neck as Koops appeared out of his shell to look down at the defeated enemy. Her finger hovered directly over the glowing blue Slave Seal. Vivian grimaced...and shot forth a focused, thin, glowing laser-like beam of fire.

The fire hit Koops' neck and Koops screamed. The Koopa collapsed to his knees, still screaming, as smoke and the smell of burning flesh emitted from the wound. Vivian's face contorted, but she kept on firing her condensed beam. A look of pure agony covered Koops' face...and then Vivian cut off her attack. With a final gulp, Koops collapsed and fell to the ground, a massive red burning wound on his neck. For the first time since the battle had began, all was silent under the shadow of the _Cheatsy's_ command tower.

Then Koops opened his eyes.

* * *

Bowser Jr ferociously came at Luigi, swinging his fist like a wreaking ball. Luigi dove out of the way, leaping over Junior's swinging tale as the two entered into a dance of punches and leaps. Lightning trailing from his fist, Luigi drove it into Junior's side with a flash of blue light, causing the prince to roar with pain, bringing his Magic Paintbrush around and stabbing the bottom of the staff into Luigi's stomach.

Luigi went flying off the gun platform, pain reaching throughout his body, and he only just managed to grab onto the side of the platform. He heard heavy footsteps above him as Bowser Jr loomed over, fixing him with his fiery eyes.

"You're finished, Luigi!" he roared, sparks flying from his mouth. "Give up!"

"No!" Luigi shot back, tightening his grip. "I won't abandon the Mushroom Kingdom!"

Focusing his Thunderhand, Luigi leapt up, driving a lightning-powered fist into Bowser Jr's chin, making him stagger back as Luigi once again regained his position on the platform. Bowser Jr managed to recover sooner than Luigi expected, sending a massive blast of fire in his way which Luigi vaulted over. Both of them warn out, they paused, staring each other done as they caught their breath.

Luigi panted, sweat dripping from his body. He couldn't afford to keep this up. He had to finish this battle...soon.

* * *

Larry crossed his arms, staring down smugly at his enemies who were still attempting to fight back. Cobal's body was scorched and burned, but he kept looking at Princess Peach, trapped in the golden bubble of light, her eyes closed. He _had_ to move forward. The Mushroom Kingdom...the entire world depended on it!

"Everybody still ready to fight?" Strike asked seriously, flaring a fireball in his right hand.

"This body hasn't given up yet!" Prince Peasley said, propping himself up with his rapier before pointing it at Larry.

"L...lemmie at him!" K Rool gasped.

Larry yawned. "Mannnn...you guys must really have a death wish." he said lazily. "You're just not on my level. Go back to school, kids."

"Ain't got no time for that, pal." Cobal said, forcing his face into a confidant smirk and charging at Larry. He leapt into the air with his Luigi-style jump...

 _Crash!_ A jolt of blue light knocked him to the ground. Cobal felt as if every bone in his body was broken. It was like his skin was burning and his legs had collapsed...

Larry casually threw his wand up in the air and caught it, before pointing it at K Rool and sending another magic bolt whipping through the air, catching the Kremling king in the chest and knocking him down.

"Peasley, let's take him from both sides!" Strike shouted, running to Larry's right.

"An excellent plan!" Peasley agreed, charging Larry from the left.

Larry's wand vanished in a puff of smoke and he stretched both of his arms out, each palm facing the approaching attacker. Thwomps made of blue light whizzed into existance, launching themselves at Peasley and Strike and bowling them over before disappearing. "I told you...it's useless." Larry sighed. "Even I'm getting tired of this now, seriously."

Propping his body up with his arm, Cobal stared at Larry through his dark shades. Had they even landed a single hit on the koopa prince? This was an enemy the Mario brothers had defeated time and time again...but he'd grown much more powerful in the last twenty years.

" _Would even Luigi be helpless against him?"_ Cobal wondered.

Cobal forced himself to get back up. Larry's eyes seemed to shine in the golden light.

"I'm...not...done...yet!" Cobal shouted defiantly at the Koopa.

"Yeah..." Larry grinned, closing his eyes and raising his arms up. "You are."

Countless flashes of blue light erupting around the floating golden platform like fireworks. As Cobal watched in horror, Bill Blasters made of light popped into existance, surrounding the arena. Larry snapped his fingers.

Chaos erupted around Cobal. Glowing blue Bullet Bills were flying every which way. Cobal leapt over one, only to be struck down by another. He fell hard, and as he fell, he saw three crash into King K Rool, downing the kremling king in an explosion of blue fire and magical runes. Strike and Peasley fared better, dodging the first onslaught, but the chaotic movements of the bullet bills moving in countless directions was impossible to counter. They were struck again and again, until...

Suddenly, and quite simply, a shadow siren clutching a Koopa close to herself appeared behind Larry. Larry glanced around and noticed them, willing his Bill Blasters to disappear. The Koopa stepped away from the shadow siren and fixed Larry with an expression of pure hate. Cobal noticed (although it was tough to notice anything, considering he'd nearly passed out), that the Koopa appeared to be moving stiffly, as if injured. The Shadow Siren quickly vanished down into the shadows, leaving the Koopa to face Larry alone.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my good friend Koops!" Larry laughed, clapping his hands together. "What, is your loyalty to old, dead Mario too great, buddy? Don't you know what'll happen if you betray me?"

Koops winced from the pain. "N...not anymore, Larry. Your seal is gone. I'm done being your slave."

Larry stretched out his arm and summoned his wand. "Then, Koops...I'm afraid you've ran out of lives." he sneered. "Say hello to our mutual friend Mario for me, kay?"

Koops closed his eyes. To Cobal it looked like he was going into a zen-like state, shutting out everything else but the battle.

Larry stretched out his arm, launching one of his lightning-fast magic bolts. Koops ducked into his shell so fast that Cobal could barely see him. He zoomed out of the way, causing Larry, with a scowl, to fling another enchanted fireball his way. Koops' shell rapidly changed directions, dodging Larry's attack, which only made the Koopaling even more angry.

Larry began to fire his wand like a machine gun, shooting out magic bolts with such speed Cobal knew that anyone without the mobility of Koops would be crushed instantly. Koops continued to spin in his shell, generating sparks from the friction, always one step ahead of Larry's rapid-fire assault.

Then, as if by some unspoken signal, Koops launched himself at Larry. The force of his shell was like a cannonball; too fast for Larry to avoid magically, and strong enough to knock him across the arena. Larry cried out and dropped his wand. Koops went out of his shell, and the two Koopas, both injured now, stared each other down with Peach hovering between them.

Larry made a sound that was somewhere between a high-pitched yell and a dragonic roar and launched a storm of lightning bolts at Koops. Koops ducked back into his shell and dodged the electric tendrils with zig-zagging movements, striking Larry again...then again...and then again. As Koops launched himself at Larry a forth time, Larry rapidly put up a magical shield, causing Koops to bounce off it; but that did nothing to slow the smaller Koopa down, as Koops spun to the centre of the arena and began to rotate rapidly. Cobal sensed he was building up to something big.

"All right, fine!" Larry yelled, saliva flying from his mouth. He raised up his arms, which glowed with blue light. "I'm gonna crush you with everything I've got, you stinkin' traitor! And then I'm gonna deal with your family, too!"

Koops continued to rotate in his shell. He was spinning so fast that all Cobal could see was a green blur. Banzai Bill Blasters made of blue light warped into existence around the area, just like in the attack Larry had used on Cobal and his friends. This time, though, rather than pointing in random directions, every single one was trained on Koops...an attack with enough force to level Peach's Castle to the ground! Whether Koops was aware of it or not, Cobal didn't know...he just spun faster and faster in place, generating a wind that whipped at Cobal's face.

"In the end..." Larry grinned smugly as he brought his fingers together, preparing to snap them, "Those who play dirty _always_ come up on top."

There was a sound like a gunshot and Koops, with a sonic boom, launched himself at Larry for a final time. It happened so fast Cobal couldn't even see Koops' shell. Larry's eyes bugged out...and then he was sent flying, blasting off the platform as if shot by a cannon, spinning through the air as he hurtled towards the ocean.

Koops got out of his shell, watched as Larry hit the water with a splash in the sea strewn with the wrecks of both sides' airships...and collapsed.

Cobal attempted to get himself up so that he could help him, but Peasley got there first. "I'll tend to the fallen hero!" Peasley exclaimed, reaching Koops' body. "You, Cobal, rescue the princess!"

Cobal managed a weak nod as he dragged his body to the floating bubble, forced it up...and touched the smooth, glowing surface. There was a melodic _pop..._ and Princess Peach, her eyes closed, floated into his arms.

* * *

Luigi backwards-soumersaulted out of the way of one of Bowser Jr's punches, ending up on one of the warship's upper turrets, leaving Junior below him.

"Come down and fight, you coward!" Bowser Jr roared.

Luigi was warn out. He hadn't fought this hard since Roy, but that time he'd been prepared for a fight. This time, he'd been nursing a _slight, slight_ chance that he and Bowser Jr could collaborate, just this once.

Luigi looked back at the shining golden platform. Princess Peach...the bubble...it was gone! He could scarcely make out who was on the platform, but...his heart soared! It was Cobal! Cobal, Prince Peasley, and the others he'd picked up when they'd been separated!

The outcome of this battle didn't matter anymore. Now that Princess Peach was in Mushroom Kingdom hands, they'd scored their greatest victory yet.

There was a rumble like thunder in the sky. Luigi turned around. It was the sound of engines, massive engines that dwarfed even the ones on the ship they stood on.

A terrifying face broke through the clouds. It was the face of Bowser when he'd undergone his "Giga Bowser" transformation, but it seemed to be the size of a mountain. A gigantic ship was moving through the sky...one that was covered in guns like an urchin with spikes, one that bathed the entire fleet in it's shadow, and seemed to have Bowser's entire castle on it's deck as a superstructure. Surrounding it were ordinary Koopa warships, identical to Bowser Jr's in every way except for the decorative red stripe on the hull.

"T...that's Dad's flagship!" Bowser Jr exclaimed. "He...he's actually joining the battle!?"

When Bowser Jr wasn't looking, Luigi leapt away. This battle was already over. Princess Peach was safe...it was best to leave quietly before Bowser was able to gain control of the situation. Luigi took one last look at the humungous dreadnaught, surrounded by a fleet of warships which seemed tiny on comparison. Bowser...it had been so long since they'd met. If the Emperor of the Koopas himself was finally involved...things were really getting serious.


	48. The Ruler's Return

**Chapter Forty-Eight: The Ruler's Return**

It was soft, very warm, and comforting. There was a pleasant smell, like fresh flowers, around the room, that seemed oddly familiar to her. The chirp of birds floated through the window.

She was somewhere new, that was to be sure. Since _it_ had happened, she had occasionally caught glimpses of the world, when the sleep she'd been put into momentarily weakened. A darkened laboratory...strange men and woman in uniforms who would observe her...she knew nothing about them, or the place, or any of it. Regardless, that had disappeared eventually. Leaving the lab had seemed to weaken her sleep (was it a magic spell? Drugs being pumped into her system? She wasn't sure), giving her a better look at where she was. It was a chaotic landscape...there were ships, ships which looked like Bowser's ships, and fighting, lots of fighting, lights and explosions and fire. And now she was here...and it felt both peaceful and familiar.

Princess Peach opened her eyes. She stared up at a ceiling of pink-and-white checkers, with a golden chandelier off to her right, unlit. The princess blinked. Walls, covered with a bright and cheerful pattern of clouds, pink carpets, pink blankets, pink pillows...this was her room, wasn't it? She...she was home!

And then she saw him, seated by the side of her bed. Luigi sat up straight, a caring, respectful look on his face. While he'd never had the rugged charm and hot-headed optimism of his brother that she'd loved so much, he'd always been the more gentlemanly of the two, somebody who thrived on the dance floor during the annual Mushroom Ball while Mario preferred to stick next to the spaghetti. Mario...

"P...princess." Luigi said, slowly and carefully. "Y...you're awake."

Princess Peach turned over on her side to better look at him. She still felt exhausted. "Luigi." she breathed. "Where...what..."

Luigi uncomfortably scratched his head, his moustache quivering. "Y...you're in your own castle, princess." Luigi said, looking around the room. "We've fixed it up for you, of course...I hope you like the room."

Memories of her castle burning flashed through Peach's mind. Bowser...he'd destroyed everything! He'd killed the man she loved, crushed her kingdom, and tormented her people! What had happened to the kingdom in her absence? What had happened to the _world?_

"T...tell me, Luigi." Peach said. "The Toads...everyone...are they all right?"

Luigi smiled. "Always thinking of others, huh, princess?" he laughed. "It's been tough, but the Mushroom Kingdom is free...for now. There are lots of stuff happening. The Koopalings...they're fighting each other. We're hoping to take advantage of it all to end Bowser's empire for good, but we're still outnumbered. We've won lots of fights, though. I...I think Mario would be proud of us."

Peach smiled sadly, remember her husband's heroism in the many, many fights against the Koopa King. She had watched him die, a sight that would be scarred into her mind for life. She and a few of her retainers had fled the castle when it became apparent that despite all of their strength, the Mario brothers and their allies would be unable to fend off the invading army. However, Bowser's armies had swarmed around them, forcing Peach to use the combat skills she had honed in situations like the adventures on Vibe Island and the Sprixie Kingdom to escape. From just out of the town outskirts, she'd watched the Bullet Bills blow Mario to smithereens. She'd wanted to _kill_ Bowser in that moment, hit him with all her might, even though she knew that it would come to nothing. She really would've tried, though...if _he_ hadn't have shown up.

"What happened, princess?" Luigi asked, leaning in closer. "You disappeared for twenty years, and then suddenly you appeared, right in the middle of a huge battle! Where did you go?" his face suddenly fell. "Sorry...this might be too soon..."

"No, Luigi." Peach sighed, sitting up in her bed and brushing back her thick blonde hair. She looked out of the window, over the multi-coloured roofs of the Toad Houses and a new addition to the view...an ugly wall that seemed to be made of debris, on which was perched several Bill Blasters. "If I can help, I need to." she finished, looking back at Luigi.

"Ok." Luigi said quietly. "A...at your own pace, Peach."

Peach recalled that terrible night once more, shuddering. "There...there isn't much, really. After Mario...well, I wanted to hurt Bowser, Luigi, really hurt him."

Luigi nodded, understanding.

"It was like something came over me, and I started running back towards town, even though there was fire everywhere and I knew I'd be captured. I'd barely went three steps into the town, though, before I was pulled by this...force, like some sort of magnet, into one of the abandoned Toad Houses. In this house, Luigi, there was this...strange Koopa."

"One of Bowser's minions?" Luigi questioned.

Peach shook her head. "No, no, I don't think so." she responded. "Most Koopas don't wear much more than their shells. This was was very well-dressed...he had an old-fashioned white suit and a white hat on his head."

Luigi's eyes widened. "No...no way!" he exclaimed. "Cobal...he's a friend of mine...met somebody who looked just like that! A super-strong Koopa who didn't seem to be working for Bowser!"

"I don't know what kind of role he plays in all of this." Peach admitted, "But's it's quite serious. The Koopa...he was quite polite, really. He apologized for getting in the way of my plans...and he mentioned something about a Grand Star needing me, I didn't quite understand that. And then his right eye glowed, he made some sort of hand gesture...and I blacked out."

Luigi hung on to the edge of his seat, waiting for more, and when Peach didn't continue her story, he pressed her, "Is that all?"

"He put some kind of sleeping spell on me." Peach admitted, "Although I did get flashes of where I was, from time to time. I think they had me in a lab, I don't know where. There were lots of people watching me, all wearing uniforms. Then they stuck me above the ocean, and well..."

Peach sighed. She'd never felt more tired then she did now. Twenty years had passed? She wondered if she had aged in her sleep. A twinge of sadness clutched her heart. She should've been a mother by now, her children nearly ready to leave home and begin their adult lives! Why had Bowser been so cruel?

"It's okay, princess." Luigi said kindly, sensing her sadness. "We're all here for you. Even Toadsworth is...I think he held out in Bowser's prison just for this moment."

"Toadsworth?!" Peach exclaimed, suddenly jerking up. Surely her old butler had died! He was already nearly seventy by the time of her wedding with Mario, and in prison... "I have to see him." Peach decided, getting out of bed. She wobbled on her feet, but Luigi caught her arm and steadied her.

"Take it easy." Luigi said gently. "Your body's still weak."

Peach closed her eyes. Yes, Luigi was right. She had to build up her strength again. "How did we get here?" Peach asked him. "We were above the ocean, and then..."

"Around the time Cobal freed you, Bowser showed up." Luigi said grimly. "Thankfully, because of Ludwig's fleet...he's fighting his father, by the way...Bowser was distracted. We fled as fast as we could, back to here."

"Home." Peach breathed, looking around the room once again. Bright rays of sunlight shone through the window. Holding onto Luigi's shoulder for support, Peach began to walk away from her bed. There were so many happy memories contained within this castle...and so many more to be made.

Luigi opened the door to the antechamber. There was more than twenty people squished into the small sitting room, Toads, Koopas, Yoshis...

"Princess!" cried an aged voice, and with speed surprising for his age, Toadsworth crossed the room and flung his tiny arms around her.

"Toadsworth." Peach smiled, hugging the brown mushroom cap close towards her. A tear dripped down from her eye. All would be well.

* * *

The hologram of the Mushroom World lightning up the table, Koopa High Command once again met to discuss the war. Out of the twenty seats, only twelve were filled. General Koops, General Crushell, and King Boo had deflected to the Neo Empire at the start of the war, of course, but many other members of High Command had lost their lives during the hostilities. Additionally, General Flame had mysteriously disappeared, the words of his adjutant Corporal Blueshell being that he planned to leave the Koopa Troop and become involved in organized crime. Still, there was a surprisingly hopeful atmosphere surrounding the table, despite how grim the situation was. Looking over the table there was a balcony, with nine thrones for the Koopa Emperor and his children. For the first time since the conquest of the world, the centre throne, decorated with ornate golden spikes, was filled.

Bowser sat upright, with one leg crossed against the other and his head resting against his fist, his elbow propped up against the armrest. It was a pose he liked quite well, because it gave the feeling that he was so in command, he didn't even need to take things seriously. Bowser hadn't taken anything seriously for twenty years, nor had he gotten enjoyment out of anything. But now he was filled with a rage that seemed to burn within him. He had a second chance at life, and he'd do anything to get it back.

Grand General Shelldon looked upward from his seat at the head of the table. "Emperor Bowser, we've gone over this." he said. "Sector Two, Sector Four, and Sector Six have been conquered by Ludwig's forces. That leaves Koopa Central and Sector Eight the only districts of the empire that are still under our control. Furthermore, the Mushroom Kingdom resistance have succeeded in taking back the majority of their kingdom, which effectively means that Sector Eight now only consists of the Koopa Kingdom and the Beanbean Kingdom. The armies that were under the command of Morton, Iggy, and Lemmy have almost been completely destroyed, while Bowser Jr's army has been split down to about half, thanks to our enemy's deception in destroying our invasion fleet. Even with the Koopa Central Elite force, we are still drastically outnumbered."

"Speed up the building of the new airships!" Bowser roared, smashing his fist against the throne. "I want to lead an attack on Ludwig's castle, right now! I'll give that stupid son of mine a talking too, you bet I will!"

The face the supreme commander of the Koopa Troop wore was one of concern and nervousness. "Emperor Bowser..." Shelldon said slowly. "If we were to do that, we would certainly be destroyed. We don't know what kind of weapons Ludwig has yet to show us. If we were to draw all forces to here in Koopa Central, we can set up the ultimate defence. Fight Ludwig on our home turf. If we can capture him, the war will be over."

"Defence!?" Bowser exclaimed in disgust. "Defence is for sissies! Let me roast em' with my fire breath!" How did this idiotic Hammer Bro get to be the Grand General, anyway? What kind of a strategy was this?

Bowser Jr's voice suddenly interrupted Bowser's thoughts. "Dad." his son said, looking up at him with his red eyes. There was affection in them, and fear. Bowser hated the thought. He was the Koopa Emperor, for goodness sake, not a baby! What was there to fear? "Shelldon's right." Bowser Junior continued. "Listen to him, Dad! Do you really want to let Ludwig win! He'll tell stories about how stupid you were, charging right into his army and letting yourself be beaten! You're better than that! You're Bowser!"

Bowser leaned back in his throne and clenched his fist, growling. "Fine." he sulked. "Let Ludwig come. We'll give him a welcome he'll never forget!"

* * *

Larry felt alone as he stood in the centre of Ludwig's vast throne room. He stood on the hard marble floor, on a design made of sapphire depicting Ludwig's insignia, while before him, on a golden throne on a raised dais, Ludwig sat, glaring at him contemptuously. Thunder rumbled outside, sending a white flash through the ornate hall.

"You stupid little brother!" Ludwig hissed, his claws digging in to his golden armrest. Roy, Wendy, King Boo, and the Neo Empire's other generals looked around nervously. Larry felt uncomfortable. He wasn't in control of this situation, and he was _always_ in control. "I gave you that fleet because I thought you had more sense than Roy. It seems I was wrong. Not only did you let Princess Peach get away, you retreated as soon as our father showed his ugly head. Were you scared of him, Larry? Are you a coward!?"

Larry sighed, closing his eyes. "Big Bro, Dad had, like, one hundred new battleships, plus some gigantic one that I assume was his. We were outnumbered, Lud. We would've been blown to smithereens."

"No technology made by my father can surpass my new Airship Mk. IIIs!" Ludwig exclaimed, his voice booming throughout the hall. "Once my flagship, the _Symphony of Destruction,_ is finished, Father's fleet will be no match for me! The old empire is finished! We could've won the war yesterday if not for your incompetence!"

Larry sighed. Things weren't going well. He'd always been well-liked by Ludwig, but once his brother got this angry, it could be ages before he loosened up. He'd have to start thinking of a strategy around this fast.

"Ludwig." Roy grunted from his place beside the throne. "Come on, let me at em'! I'm tougher than Larry. I'll crush both Luigi and Dad, and make there there's no resistance to boot!"

"Shut up, Roy." Ludwig silenced him with a contemptuous wave of his hand. "You don't interest me."

"Then let me do it!" Wendy insisted in her high-pitched voice. "I guarantee, my troops are top-notch. I-"

"No." Ludwig said decisively, getting up from his throne. "I will command our next attack personally. It's time I stop leaving my empire in the hands of imbeciles. Very soon, we will march on Koopa Central and end this. And...Larry, Roy, Wendy...we will do it _my_ way."

* * *

The council room of Seven Stars was dark, save for one monitor which bathed Antonio in a beam of orange light. The Grand Star sat alone in silence, brooding on that events that had happened. Everything was going according to plan. It mattered not who had managed to secure Princess Peach. The end of the legendary conflict that had been going on for decades was near. Very soon, the Starfall would begin. Antonio had waited his entire life for this moment. Nothing would stop him now.

The door to the council chamber slid open without a sound and his brother Giovanni walked in. Due to the dim lightning throughout Seven Stars' headquarters, the open door did little to light up the council room.

"We've begun the process, Antonio." Giovanni reported. "We are waking Mario up, right now."

Antonio smiled. "Soon, my beautiful Red Star will once again grace this world." he said, leaning back on his chair. "Everything is going according to plan, Giovanni. Very soon our ambitions will be realized."

Giovanni nodded. "What news from our ally, Antonio?"

Antonio leaned forward and clasped his hands together, resting them on the glass table. "Nothing has changed in our plan, Giovanni. Even my lesser son's meddling has not set it back. Do not worry, Giovanni." Antonio's eyes seemed to shine in the dark orange light. "The Mushroom World will soon be no more."


	49. The Flight of Kammy Koopa

**Chapter Forty-Nine: The Flight of Kammy Koopa**

 _I apologize for the delay in this chapter's release, since I've been sick. Don't worry, this won't become the regular for chapter updates. Also, this story recently reached 30,000 views! Thank you for all of your support!_

The elderly, green-capped Toad examined the empty pedestal with narrowed eyes, scribbling down notes with lightning speed. Luigi watched him from the distance. While there was still a bit of tension in the air due to the threat of war, Toad Town was more cheerful than Luigi had ever seen it. There were families walking down the streets, the fresh paint on the Toad Houses' roofs seemed to shine, and the bar Luigi had been next to when he'd first met Cobal now appeared to be a respectable establishment instead of a den for criminals. Indeed, Wario had done a good jump knocking all the criminals who had taken root in Toad Town into shape.

News of the Princess' rescue had spread throughout the whole kingdom. There were reports coming in from all sides of the globe of people joining their cause. Thanks to the war, some smaller Koopa fortresses had been abandoned outright and entire towns were being freed. The resistance's scope was growing day by day. New people (and some old friends) were constantly showing up at Toad Town, thanking Luigi for giving them hope. Almost no trace of the old Koopa occupation remained in the Mushroom Kingdom. It was a situation that Luigi hadn't have dared to hope for.

Luigi was knocked out of his peaceful thoughts by the high-pitched screech of the yellow toad, Billy, who was running towards him up the main street so fast Luigi was concerned he'd trip over. "L...L...Luigi...you got to come here!" Billy skidded to a stop, nearly crashing into Luigi.

"Whoa, slow down!" Luigi said, placing his hand on Billy's smooth Mushroom cap. "What's wrong?"

"The...the...the...the princess is here!"

"Huh?" Luigi glanced back at the castle. It's flags were flapping merrily in the wind and it's roof was a bright and cheerful red, no traces remaining of the scars of battle. "Billy...Princess Peach is in the castle! She's catching up on what happened since Bowser took over."

"No, no Peach!" Billy exclaimed, shouting loudly. "The _other_ princess!"

From the time Toad Town fell, Luigi's heart had been broken. Even when he had gained the courage to pull himself back up again, even when he had started winning victory after victory against the Koopa forces, something had always been missing. The fate of a certain person was unknown, and all he had left of her was memories and the flowers in his garden. But now a warm feeling coursed through Luigi's body, telling him that all would be well.

* * *

Princess Daisy stood before Luigi, her dark brown hair seeming to shine in the light of the rising sun. She'd aged, of course, but gracefully so, as befitted a princess. Her orange dress was torn and mud-covered, but that was nothing unusual for the tomboyish monarch. But it was the princess' eyes that Luigi was looking at, her deep blue eyes that contained nothing within them but relief, happiness, and love.

"I...it..." the words choked in Luigi's mouth. He'd spent years thinking of what he'd say to Daisy when they were reunited, but now that they were there, he...

"C...come her, you." Daisy said, tears dripping from her face. Luigi had never seen the strong-willed princess cry before...but these were tears of happiness, not of sadness. Taking a step forward, he ran and embraced the person he loved.

* * *

"What, so you're saying you've already got an army, ships, even a dozen heroes or so?" Daisy laughed. All of the foremost members of the Mushroom resistance were sitting in the council room of Peach's castle, the same council room in which Princess Peach had dealt with the "Blorbs" epidemic in what seemed like millennia ago. It was by now early afternoon, and the sun shone through the windows so that they needed no light. Luigi and Daisy had spent the entire day catching up, and Peach had been quick to join in, eager to see her dearest friend, once again. But they all had a duty to do for the Mushroom World. Peaceful picnics and get-togethers could be had once the empire finally fell for good. "Seriously," Daisy laughed from her place beside Luigi. "Why haven't you attacked Bowser yet? Luigi, you beat him and his whole army just fine with less than that before."

"It's not that simple." came a voice from the other side of the table. It was Strike, the Fire Bro who was Cobal's friend. While Luigi had been apprehensive about the former Koopa Troop officer, the steely Koopa had proved invaluable due to his inside knowledge. "In the past," Strike continued, "The Koopa Troop was not prepared for a full-on attack. They had a large amount of fortresses and defences, but no real strategy. The Imperial Citadel is not like the old castles you're used to, princess. It's surrounded by hundreds of battleships and a hundred-thousand ground troops. There are Bill Blasters hidden all throughout Koopa Central and brigades of Magikoopas weaving spells of defence and regeneration on just about everything. It's an unassailable fortress. If we want to take out Emperor Bowser's seat of power, we're going to have to approach this with caution."

Luigi nodded. He didn't want anybody to die on his watch.

"Oh dear..." Toadsworth fretted. "This seems quite the issue."

"Suggestions are welcome." Peach said. She was standing at the lectern at the head of the table, presiding over the meeting. "Bowser's empire is weaker than it's ever been right now, if what Luigi tells me is correct. This could be our chance."

"How 'bout we do a stealth mission?" Captain Toad suggestion, from his place near Toadette. "Nice and classic. We go in from the sewers or something, sneak into the castle, Luigi fights Bowser and wins, and we mop up the rest!"

"And clear out ol' Bowser's treasure vaults along the way!" Waluigi snickered, causing Wario to roar with laughter.

"Hey, that might work..." Cobal started, but Strike quickly cut him off.

"No." the Fire Bro said harshly. "You're thinking about this wrong. If we were trying to, say, rescue some princess, Captain Toad's strategy would be perfect. But we're not. We're trying to attempt a proper military takeover. Even if we defeated the emperor, we'd be surrounded on all sides by the Koopa Central Defence Force. We can't expect an easy fight. We need to engage the enemy army head-on."

Wario laughed uglily. "How about we take advantage of Bowser's family drama?" he said, a cruel glint in his eye. "While Ludwig's army's rolling in to take the throne from papa, we swoop in and crush Bowser in the middle! Then we deal with Ludwig while he's weak."

"Heh heh, I love it!" Waluigi giggled.

K Rool smirked, baring his teeth. "Sounds delicious." he admitted. "Perhaps we're going to get along."

Luigi looked at Peach. A plan like this was definitely up Wario's ally, and yet.

"Well, really..." Peach said, looking down at the rest of the council, "I don't see anything wrong with it..."

Luigi nodded. Even though Wario's plan did seem a bit dirty, in the end it was only taking advantage of the situation they were in. Both the original Koopa Empire and the Neo Empire needed to be defeated if peace was going to be restored.

"Thank you, Wario." Luigi said. "That's a good start."

Wario laughed, before burping out a foul belch. "Oh yeah, Wario's the _man!_ " he exclaimed, much to the annoyance of Toadsworth.

"I don't understand." Goombario spoke up, his eyes peering over the table as he stood up in his seat. "We do we need to bother with all of this. There are so many wish-granting artifacts in the world, why can't we just wish Bowser away! It's the simplest, most peaceful solution!"

"I told Luigi this before." Toadette countered. "Bowser has in his possession the Sticker Star, which he uses to protect his empire from being wished away. No getting out of this fight easy!"

"In fact..." Strike added in a grim voice. "If the battle really does go poorly, there's always a chance Bowser will use the Sticker Star as a last-ditch situation to take out us!"

"Then we need to get wish protection, as well!" Cobal exclaimed.

Luigi thought about wishes. Seemingly all-powerful sources of magical power seemed to be surprisingly common in the Mushroom World, but they didn't have much time to look for one. If they spent too long trying to track down, say, the Sundream Stone, Ludwig might succeed in overthrowing his father. Defeating Ludwig with a secure base of power would be much more difficult than defeating Bowser and Ludwig when they were both weakened from fighting each other. So, what to do..."

"The Dreamstone." it was a calm, regal sounding voice from near the end of the table. Luigi turned and saw the hopeful-looking face of Prince Dreamburt. The ruler of the P'illo people had been imprisoned in Stoneshell Prison with several other heroes, but he'd been freed in Cobal's daring escape. "Luigi, we can reclaim the Dreamstone!"

"Dreamstone?" Luigi scratched his head, remembering one of his old adventures. "Wasn't it...destroyed."

"Yes." Dreamburt said excitedly, "But it can be restored! The Zeekeeper allowed it to remain destroyed so that people wouldn't abuse it's power. But now we need it! It's simple. No quests and errands...we simply need to ask the Zeekeeper. I trust he'll understand us."

"That's an excellent idea." Peach agreed. "If we have a wish-granting artifact of our own, it'll give us an extra defence against Bowser."

"I can head to P'illo island right away." Luigi said, standing up.

"Don't count me out." Daisy said, smirking at him.

Peach smiled at the two sweetly. "Ok." she said. "Luigi, I want you to go take care of the Dreamstone. Take a few others with you so that you're safe. Everyone else...we're moving base."

"W...what?" Captain Toad exclaimed, his eyes wide. "But...this is your castle, Peach!"

"Exactly." Peach said, bowing her head. "We don't want Toad Town to become a target again. Wario's spies have already located a good place in the Beanbean Outskirts. From there...we'll make our final plans to attack Koopa Central."

* * *

Cobal left the council chamber, strolling down a sunlit carpeted corridor, the walls covered with paintings showing the Mushroom Kingdom's history. The meeting had gone well, although he missed his father. The Great Gonzales Jr had left Toad Town with his companions to free Koops' family, as well as the former Glitz Pit fighters who had been pressed into the Koopa Troop's service. He couldn't wait to tell his dad what had gone down in the meeting. His heart was beating excitedly.

From the time he'd been in his early teens, Cobal had always stood up against the empire. Stealing from the Toad Town garrison, standing up the guards, helping out people who got on their bad side...and now, he was going to participate in an attack on Koopa Central! He couldn't believe how far they had come. For all he knew, within a month the Koopa Empire would've fallen. Cobal grinned as he glanced at a historical painting depicting a heroic-looking toad driving back an army of Beanish invaders, probably depicting some war that had happened hundreds of years ago. He was part of history now. In future centuries, the people of the Mushroom Kingdom would learn about the brave exploits of the people who worked to push back the tyranny of Emperor Bowser's oppressive regime. The thought filled him with pride.

As Cobal continued walking down the hallway, he became aware of something strange happening. Was it just him, or was it getting...darker? Now there were strange black particles rising from the floor, and the hallway seemed to be leading not further into the castle but into a black void, like a starlit sky...

Cobal started to panic. What was this? Was it a Koopa attack? Some evil spell? Was he in danger? Was everyone else? Was...

Cobal now stood entirely in the void. He stood on solid ground, even though there seemed to be nothing beneath him, and a deathly chill swept over him. Cobal glanced from right to left, but he could see nothing but stars. He tensed himself. There was a woman appearing before him, a tall young woman with a graceful blue dress, and pale blonde hair covering her left eye. In her hand she glimpsed a small wand. Cobal's eyes widened. He...he'd seen this woman before! Hadn't she appeared in one of his dreams?

"It is too late, Cobal the Yoshi." the woman said in a cold voice. "You can't change the future."

"Huh?" Cobal yelled at the woman. "What future?"

"The fate of the Mushroom World." the woman replied. "The Mario brothers, Bowser...all the others have destroyed it. You're still young. You should turn back."

"What, and leave everyone to die?" Cobal shot back. Who was this lady, anyway?

"Yes." the woman replied. Her eyes were blue like the depths of the ocean...beautiful, but concealing unimaginable danger. "They have brought their fate on themselves. For you, there is still hope."

"Not my kind of hope." Cobal scoffed, turning his back on the woman. "If they die, I die with them. Besides, who are you to say we'll die? Not even the shamans can predict the future without flaws. I've come this far, so why should I give up?"

"You're too naive." the woman said, closing her eyes. "Cobal the Yoshi...I pity you."

Like wind blowing away smoke, the strange void and the woman vanished, leaving Cobal alone in the brightly lit corridor. He gasped and stared out of the window, no starlit sky and blue-glad woman to be seen.

"What...what in the world was that?"

* * *

Kammy Koopa flew through the sky, wrinkled hands gripping her broom tightly. Purple smoke trailed behind her as she flew over the rolling plains of the Mushroom Kingdom, over little thickets of trees, tiny hamlets nestled in forest glades, and tall hills dotted with green warp pipes.

It was a peaceful afternoon, and the comfortable Mushroom Kingdom weather was much preferable to Kammy than the unpleasant climate of the dark lands. Unfortunately, the aged Magikoopa had little time to relax in the sunshine. She had a mission she needed to complete.

Kammy had, through painstaking research and ancient spells, discovered the circumstances behind the death of Bowser's wife, Lavaria. She'd collected the essence of the Dark Star from the top of Peach's Castle where, ages ago, her king had destroyed it in battle. Now only one thing remained. Kammy had to obtain the essence of a Crystal Coconut.

The essence of a Crystal Coconut was a fabled magical ingredient. It could be used as a base for potions, although Kammy, in all the years she'd been a Magikoopa, had never heard of it being done in her time. Most potions didn't need such a strong base. Crystal Coconuts were rare and incredibly powerful. If they reached maturity, they could even grant wishes, although it could take hundreds of years for them to reach this, so it seldom happened. Kammy had been to Donkey Kong Island in an attempt to find one of these coconuts, but had been unsuccessful. That was a setback...as the potion that she was planning to make, one that contained the essence of the Dark Star itself, needed a powerful base made from the essence. Kammy didn't have time to search the whole world for the mystical fruit...especially when she believed that forces were conspiring against her, trying to keep the Crystal Coconuts away from the public. All it took with a quick interrogation of a suspicious Koopa in a sleazy Mt. Brrr tavern to learn the location of a secret Seven Stars outpost in the Mushroom Kingdom. Kammy allowed a sly smile the play in her lips. Soon, the power of her ruler would be restored.

There were two stony hills beneath Kammy, the tops of which had been carved into the letter "M" and the number "9". This section of Toad Road, Kammy knew, had been one of the locations for a party Mario and his friends had had together. Little had they known, of course, that under the hill that was to the right was a secret Seven Stars bunker.

Kammy angled her broom downwards and shot towards the hill. She stretched out her wand. It was time to get started...

Toadificus lounged in his chair in his dimly lit office, his feet resting against his glass desk. Holographic screens floated around him, showing lists of weapons.

The Green Star was feeling quite positive. He'd done well recently, reporting on the actions of Fire Flower. That mission was over now, of course. The Grand Star had sent him to this smaller base to collect the weapons they'd stored here. Toadificus had a feeling that the organization's endgame was soon approaching. As to what this was, Toadificus cared little. He was a man of business and profit, who's skills had allowed him to climb the ranks of Seven Stars until he had sat on the council. When the Grand Star overthrew the old order of the world, Toadificus was certain he would be able to place himself into a profitable position. The Seven Stars "trinity" of Antonio, Giovanni, and Skallz had more complex goals, of course, but he was content to remain where he was, so long as the coins kept pouring in. And pour in they did...Toadificus had become quite a wealthy man, managing Seven Stars' criminal enterprises. Taking a step back to infiltrate Fire Flower had only been a minor drawback for him.

"Ah, I certainly hope we'll be through with all of this." he mused to himself. "The Grand Star is taking too many risks. We could even end up exposed..."

Alarms suddenly rang through the office and Toadificus quickly sat upright. "What's this?" he exclaimed, glancing at one of the screens.

In one of the darkened, metallic corridors of the base, the ceiling was heating up with a glowing pink light. Seven Stars agents in green uniforms swarmed around, perplexed...then the ceiling exploded. Kammy Koopa had arrived.

Kammy struck this way and that with her wand, launching magical blasts at the Seven Stars members and knocking them back. A group of them charged at her, but she spun around, expelling magical light which blasted them against the wall. Kammy shot down the hallway like a rocket, as gun emplacements popped out of the walls, firing at her. Kammy dodged the bullets with expertise, demonstrating such control over her broom as would make any Magikoopa novice cry tears of joy. A ground of Seven Stars agents ran at her, but, waving her wand in a circle, Kammy conjured up a chain chomp of enchanted violet light which sent them running.

Kammy knew the magical signature of the Crystal Coconut. She knew it was located in the vault on the last floor. As she had no knowledge what the vault looked like, she could not teleport inside, but breaking in would not be difficult for a Magikoopa of her skill.

A Chargin' Chuck in a Seven Stars uniform ran at her, but Kammy sent him back with a magical blast that exploded, scattering the Goombas who were with him. She turned right and flew down a corridor, zig-zagging to avoid the defences, ducking underneath a Paratroopa's shell...there. She was right above the vault. Kammy pointed her wand at the floor, beginning the metal-melting spell. She could hear the footsteps of Seven Stars troops behind her. The floor glowed red hot and began to bubble. Kammy spun her wand around, charging up a magical blast, and launched it at the floor. The floor, melted from solid still to a malleable, goopy, barely-solid surface, yielded to the blast's force. Kammy zipped into the vault, just as the enemies reached her.

The vault was a tall room, with countless little cabinets, dimly lit by red lights. Kammy smirked. She was being drawn to the Crystal Coconut essence like a magnet. The Magikoopa flew to a cabinet in the centre. It was locked, of course, but Kammy latched onto it with magical force and wrenched it open. The essence of the Crystal Coconut looked like diamonds...a glittering dust that could transform ordinary water into a liquid of the highest magical properties. Kammy took a few handfuls and tucked it into a pocket on the inside of her robe. Now, to get out...

The door to the vault opened, filling it with light. Cape floating behind him, Toadificus stormed in, flanked by a squad of Seven Stars Fire Bros.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" the moustached Toad exclaimed. He looked frantic. "You're Kammy Koopa, the emperor's advisor! How...how do you even know about us?"

Kammy smirked. "Your little secret isn't as secret as you'd like to think!" she couldn't resist saying smugly. "I'm sorry, Seven Stars, but you can kiss your pretty organization GOOD BYE!"

"Not if I have anything to say about that!" Toadificus shouted, stretching out his hands. There was a flash of light, and magical beams shot from his hands, streaking towards Kammy. Kammy's smile didn't falter. A Toad, using magic? Well, that was unusual, but Toadificus was doing his species no favours. Kammy stretched out her wand and countered Toadificus' beam with one of her own, wider and brighter. The wand barely shook in Kammy's weak wrinkled hand as it pushed back Toadificus' attack.

"Trying to take on the world's greatest Magikoopa with a lousy spell like that, are you?" she shot back. "Maybe you shouldn't have dozed off in magic class!"

Toadificus broke off his beam and clumsily leapt to one side as Kammy's beam struck the ground, exploding and scattering his guards.

Kammy spun around, beginning the teleportation...suddenly, something stopped her. With a screech of annoyance, she glanced back. Toadificus had stretched out his arm, his hand glowing with magical light.

"I see...so he's interrupted my teleportation." Kammy realized. This Toad was arrogant...did he really expect he could hold her back? If he persevered, he'd succeed in scrambling it a bit, but that wouldn't help him at all...

Kammy completed her spin, finishing the teleportation. Her surroundings whirled around her. A second later, Kammy found herself in a different room, a huge chamber filled with giant Bob-ombs. She was floating above a thin bridge suspended above them. "Seven Stars must be planning something big." Kammy mused momentarily. "They're stockpiling weapons. I'll have to tell His Brutalness about this..." she mused.

"You'll die here, Kammy Koopa!" Toadificus exclaimed.

Kammy glanced at him as if he were an insect. So this persistent Toad's attempt to stop her teleportation spell had meant he'd ended up teleporting along with her...well, that was annoying.

Toadificus reached out his hands again. Two huge glowing fireballs whizzed towards Kammy, glowing like suns...with a casual wave of her wand, Kammy batted the fireballs away, causing them to whiz down towards the Bob-ombs.

"Don't play with me!" Toadificus insisted.

"Really?" Kammy chuckled. "You make it so easy."

Before the infuriated Toadficus could make another move, Kammy spun around again, teleporting out of the room.

Toadificus tightened his fists. His magic training...it had been for nothing! But no matter. His resources would be enough to bring one old lady down. He'd assemble the rest of his forces and send an urgent alert to the main base! He'd...

The Bob-omb lit by the wayward fireball exploded, the fire detonated the hundreds of others surrounding it, consuming the room and Toadificus with the force of a volcanic irruption.

Kammy popped into existence outside of the mountain. As she flew away, the mountain rumbled, flames bursting from at as the carved "9" collapsed. This had been quite the annoying trip, but at long last, it was done. Now all that remained with the creation of the potion...and then the great King Bowser would be restored once again to the strength of his youth.


	50. Seven Stars' Interception

**Chapter Fifty: Seven Stars' Interception**

 _Recently, I've realized a slight plothole in my story. Yoshi mentions fighting Kamek to save Baby Mario earlier, however, in "Yoshi's New Island" Yoshi was shown being born as the seventh Star Child at the end of the game, thus making him actually not the same Yoshi. I honestly don't know any logical way I can explain this away, so just think of Yoshi in this story as both the Yoshi in the "Yoshi's Island" games and the seventh star child who's the Yoshi in the main series. Maybe the scene where Yoshi hatches actually occurred in the past?_

* * *

The Seven Stars command centre was a darkened room, mostly dominated by the movie, movie-theatre like screen on the far wall. A large balcony faced the screen, and below it, dozens of agents scurried about, manning control consoles or speaking with each other.

Giovanni was not looking at the huge screen, which right now was showing a variety of images from different places around the world. Rather, he was looking at the Fire Bro who was standing before him, flanked by two of the Blue Star's personal agents.

The Fire Bro had a somewhat dishevelled appearance. He wore a red military jacket which was unbuttoned, and had a cocky grin that to Giovanni looked as if he was trying to appear charming. Giovanni was not charmed.

Giovanni was Antonio's younger brother, a man who had always been in his shadow but had never aspired for more. When Antonio had left Rose Town all those years ago to begin his trip around the world, becoming friends with none other than Prince Morton Koopa himself, Giovanni had stayed behind. He'd become a mechanic. He'd always had a good way with technology. It had been that, really, which had motivated him to leave his simple shop and join up with his brother's organization, Seven Stars. With the vast resources of Seven Stars, Giovanni had access to technology that hailed from every nation, even technology from other worlds such as the planet of the Shroobs. If he had been in the public eye, he would've been hailed as one of the world's great geniuses. But Giovanni didn't crave fame. His brother's ambitions were now his ambitions. To create the perfect future, the old world needed by be destroyed and all who had the power to shift the scales needed to be wiped out.

Giovanni flexed his mechanical right hand. He'd lost it in the First Koopa War, but by now he was far more accustomed to the cybernetic replacement he'd build himself. "General Fortugas Flame." Giovanni said, narrowing his eyes as he addressed the Fire Bro standing before him. "Former governor of the Mushroom Kingdom and member of Koopa High Command. You are that man, correct?"

Flame smiled with false humility. "Ah, yes yes, that's me." he grinned. "You're the Blue Star, correct? A pleasure to meet you. I'm well aware, Blue Star, that your organization holds the real power. Why should I bother fighting for Bowser or Ludwig when I can be better than both of them?"

Giovanni stroked his moustache with his cold metal hand. Flame...he was an intriguing figure. Normally, Seven Stars would've welcomed a former Koopa Troop general into their midst with open arms, but Flame's legacy was one of failure. Seven Stars had been watching the Mushroom Kingdom closely. Not only had Flame allowed the entire Kingdom to be overcome by a small resistance, he'd failed to take it back even with a full-sized army. Giovanni knew Flame's credentials. Due to his leadership, the Koopa Troop had managed to completely obliterate the Snowmad armada when the northern invaders had sailed on Neo Bowser City. But had that really been due to the Fire Bro's skill, or just luck?

"You wish to join us." Giovanni said bluntly.

Flame laughed lightly. "Of course, sir!" he exclaimed.

"Hmm." Giovanni nodded, before turning the guards. "Go and assess him. If he's as good as a general ought to be, file a report and I'll give him a good rank. If not, let him be a foot soldier."

Flame looked extremely offended. "A foot soldier?" he exclaimed. "Uh, you do know I'm the Koopa Troop's shining star, right? Blue Star?" the guards led him away. "Blue Star?"

Giovanni turned away and closed his eyes. The Koopa Troop must really be in a bad position if even members of High Command were defecting.

"B...Blue Star!"

It was the voice of one of his subordinates...a Toad, if he remembered. Giovanni opened his eyes. "Yes?" he asked, looking down from the balcony. The Toad, dressed in the blue uniform of his division of Seven Stars, looked frantic.

"T...there's been an incident, Blue Star!" the Toad exclaimed. "Something's happened at the Toad Road warehouse!"

"The warehouse?" Giovanni asked, gripping the railing of the balcony. He'd sent Toadificus there a few days ago, to stock up on weapons.

"Y...yes!" The Toad replied. "It's been completely destroyed! Someone or something lit all the Mega Bob-ombs and completely blew it up. There's no sign of the Green Star, but based on the evidence...I can say with confidence that he's dead."

Giovani gripped the railing, crushing it in his metal hand. Toadificus, dead? It had been many years since a member of the council had been lost. This couldn't have been an accident...Toadificus was too careful for that. It could only have been...sabotage.

The Green Star's death was not a major setback. He'd served his purpose well, and they had no more need of him. What was much more troubling was the fact that somebody was aware of Seven Stars, and was acting against them. The organization had worked hard to conceal it's secrecy. Even the criminals who had dealings with them had only ever met with Toadificus, Krezena, or Sthnadlash, never the other members of the board. This was...not good.

"Heh, so Toadificus has bit the dust, huh?" came a voice from behind Giovanni. The Blue Star turned to see Sthnadlash and Krezena striding in. The black Kremling did not seem to upset about his cohort's death. "Always knew one day he'd get what was coming for him. He had an over-inflated ego."

"Don't take this lightly, Sthnadlash." Krezena chided. The golden-robed Magikoopa looked far more troubled. "A member of the Board of Directors, murdered? That hasn't happened since the First Koopa War."

"Any news on the culprit?" Giovanni asked, looking back down the balcony at his subordinates.

"Yes, sir." the Toad replied. "Our cameras discovered a Magikoopa leaving the area at the time of the explosion. We believe her to be Kammy Koopa, the personal advisor to Emperor Bower."

So the Koopa Empire was involved with this, was it? Giovanni did not like the sound of this one bit. "Krezena, get rid of her." he said simply, turning to the golden Magikoopa. "I want Kammy Koopa dead."

"With pleasure, Blue Star." Krezena nodded. With a swish of her long, hexagonal-patterned robes, she left the room, leaving Giovanni and Sthnadlash alone on the balcony.

"Any other reports?" Giovanni replied.

"Yes, Blue Star." the Toad replied. "We've discovered evidence that several key figures in the Mushroom resistance are headed to Pi'llo Island. It's Koopa Empire presence is low, so we anticipate that they may be looking for the Dreamstone.

The Dreamstone! Giovanni did not like the sound of that. A wish-granting artifact of that power landing in his insignificant nephew Luigi's hands was not something that had expected. There was a chance, however slight...that it could throw a wrench in their plans.

"Sthnadlash." Giovanni turned to face the Silver Star. "Take a detachment of troops and catch up to them on Pi'llo Island. We can't allow them to interfere."

"Thank you for the opportunity, Blue Star." Sthnadlash grinned, showing his pointed teeth. "I trust you'll be very pleased."

Giovanni nodded as the Silver Star left the room. One bit of bad news after the other...his brother wouldn't take well to this.

"Was that really a wise decision, Giovanni?" came a voice to Giovanni's left.

"Skallz." Giovanni replied, without looking in his direction. He didn't like his brother's personal lackey, this psychopathic Koopa with powers not even he fully understood.

"Sthadlash is not this organization's best, you know." Skallz's footsteps sounded behind him. "You remember he failed to take out a young kid and a bunch of has-beens, off the coast of Isle Delphino. Even if he goes all-out, will it really be enough?"

"It'll be enough." Giovanni responded, looking at the white-clad Koopa for the first time. "If all we're up against is Luigi..."

"Then it's best to put our faith in our secret weapon." Skallz replied with a smug smile, snapping his fingers. Someone stepped out of the shadows.

Giovanni had never seen in out of his suspension tank before. A man who the entire world was in awe of, who everyone who had set themselves against the Mushroom Kingdom quaked in fear of, the one who had slain the Shadow Queen herself...

"Your work is excellent, Giovanni." Skallz smiled as Mario stood behind him. "The Red Star is ready. Why not use him?"

The Red Star...it was more of a symbolic title, really. While Mario would have a seat on the Board of Directors, he'd have little authority in the organization, owing that he had little free will. When once he had been the defender of the Mushroom Kingdom, now he was the Grand Star's will incarnate. But should he be revealed yet? After all, he was their trump card.

"Keep an eye on Sthnadlash." Giovanni ordered. "If he fails...unleash him. Let the Red Star's fire crush them all."

* * *

"Let me see the reports, Koopaner."

Yoshi's voice was dark and moody. Through the glass door leading to his office, he could see almost nobody in Fire Flower's main command centre. The huge image of a Fire Flower shone it's orange light over abandoned computers, some which had been turned off for weeks. In front of Yoshi's office, Koopaner sighed.

"I've already gone over this, Yoshi! There are no reports, except for more deflections! Fire Flower's done, Yoshi. Now that the princess is back, people want to stand with her. All that's left is my and my boys...the ones who want Bowser to hurt."

Yoshi wasn't looking at Koopaner. He was looking at the picture of his desk, the picture of his friends from the island. Koopaner...yeah, of course he'd stay. He was a terrorist who'd led clandestine operations against the Koopa King since even back in the good old days...supposedly he'd been quite the thorn in Bowser's side when Bowser hadn't been dealing with Mario. It was an odd thought, thinking about Bowser having his own enemies that weren't from the Mushroom Kingdom. Koopaner wasn't somebody fighting in self-defence...he'd only been acting in self-interest. How had he sunk so low? Was he really any better?

"Yoshi." Koopaner said, but Yoshi ignored him.

How had he sunk so slow? When had he stopped caring about the value of life? When he'd stomped on those Shy Guys, he'd never killed, just incapacitated. A unpleasant memory flashed through Yoshi's mind of his past, back when Mario was only a baby. When going through one of Kamek's castles, Yoshi had kicked a Shy Guy away, in self defence. The Shy Guy had ended up falling right into a pit of lava...and while the tough scales of somebody like Bowser could've survived it, for a common Shy Guy it was certain death. This event, an accidental kill that was nevertheless committed in self-defence, had taken ages for him to get over. How had he gone from that to destroying entire cities full of innocent people?

" _You can still go back."_ Yoshi heard a voice in his mind saying. " _The princess will forgive you. You can fight alongside Luigi and the rest of them, the proper way this time...and then, after that, you_ _can turn yourself in and face proper justice for your crimes. That's what you should do, right?"_

But the cries still rang in Yoshi's head, the cries of the people being cut down by the Koopa Empire, his friends, his family...he couldn't go back. He was too far gone. All that was left of the once-proud Fire Flower was murderers and criminals...but that was what he was now, wasn't it?

"Koopaner." Yoshi said, still looking at the picture. "Get everyone ready."

"For what?" Koopaner asked.

"The Beanbean Kingdom." Yoshi replied, emotionlessly. "Their fortresses is barely manned, now with the war going the way it is. Let's burn it, and free them Beanish from decades of tyranny."

"Works for me." Koopaner shrugged, before leaving the office and Yoshi alone in the dimly-lit room.

"Mario..." Yoshi thought to himself. "What would you think if you saw me now?"

* * *

The wind was peaceful and carried the scent of the sea. Luigi held Daisy's hand in his as they stood at the prow of the battleship, watching the dark peak of Mount Pajamaja appear on the horizon.

Daisy laughed. "And here is was, thinking it was hard being locked up in my room!" she said, a merry smile on her face. "To think you were fighting on the front lines, going head to head with people like Roy Koopa! My, Luigi..." she grinned, touching his face. Luigi blushed. "You haven't changed a bit."

Luigi laughed and scratched his head. Daisy always got him flustered...it seemed that time wouldn't change that! "Aww...I'm just doing it for the kingdom, Daisy! You wouldn't have thought so much of it if you'd seem how scared I was?"

Daisy shrugged. "Hey, we all get scared sometimes." she replied. "You think I wasn't nervous about knocking Bowser away back during the Millennium Star incident? Believe me, I thought I was going to get scorched!"

They both chuckled, as they drew closer to the island. A flock of seagulls flew by and Luigi once again smelt the scent of sea salt that reminded him of all his exciting vacations with Mario and the princess. It would've been idealic...if not for the fact that they were on a heavily-armed battleship, of course. Luigi turned his gaze from Daisy's beautiful face to Pi'illo Island, which was still as green and peaceful-looking as ever. This was the final step, Luigi thought to himself. Once they had the Dreamstone, it would be finally safe to make a move against Bowser himself. Then, at long last...the world would be free of the Koopa Empire's tyranny.

"Hey..." came a voice from behind Luigi. Luigi turned around to see Cobal strolling onto the deck past one of the Bill Blaster turrets, his black shades on his head and a smirk on his face. "Are you old folks ever gonna stop flirting? We're almost ready to land on the island!"

Daisy laughed. "Luigi, this kid's got spunk." she chuckled.

Luigi felt his face grow hot. "Yeah...he sure does." Luigi replied, feeling as he'd he'd just taken one of Bowser's fireballs face-first.

* * *

The city of Wakeport, Pi'llo Island's largest settlement, was extremely quiet. The brightly-coloured houses and manicured parks were as pristine as ever, but what was missing was the cheerful, exciting atmosphere and people. The city didn't seem deserted...Luigi thought he'd caught a few glimpses of people gazing at them from the windows of the buildings...but everyone was inside. Luigi didn't know the islands standing with the Koopas (he was pretty sure it was in Sector 3, which meant it was Neo Empire territory), but likely the people were nervous about their presence. While Luigi didn't doubt that the people would like nothing more than to be freed from their tyrannical rulers, they were probably nervous about a fight occurring around them. Well, thankfully, Luigi was hoping that wouldn't end up happening. With the war going the way it was, all less-important Koopa strongholds were nearly unstaffed. Likely, the Neo Empire didn't even know they were here.

"So, we've got to get to Somnon Woods, right?" Luigi asked as they walked down the Wakeport main street, the huge Mushroom Kingdom battleship hovering over the water behind them. He was speaking to Dreamburt, who was floating alongside him. Also with him were Daisy, Cobal, K Rool, Peasley, Strike, Wario, Waluigiand a few resistance soldiers. He wasn't taking any chances here.

"That's right." the Pi'llo prince nodded. "Just like old times. If you sleep and enter the Dream World, you should be able to speak with the Zeekeeper. I'm warning you, though, it might be difficult to convince him. He can be...difficult, you know."

"Yeah." Luigi nodded, remembering his experiences with the materialistic, godlike bird from back when he and Mario were fighting against the nightmare king Antasma. "But, I mean...certainly he'd want to help us save the world, right?"

Dreamburt laughed. "He should." the prince agreed. "After all, he's not all bad."

The ground continued through the streets, reaching the outskirts of the city. As they passed through the deserted and overgrown Mushrise Park, Luigi saw Dreamburt take a long look at Pi'llo Castle looming over them in the distance, the flag of Wendy O. Koopa flapping weakly from it's roof.

" _Don't worry, Dreamburt."_ Luigi thought to himself. " _This island will be free soon enough."_

Suddenly, one of the Toads gave a shout. "Luigi! There's a huge ship, coming down on us!"

Luigi whipped around. There, coming at them from the ocean, was a huge silver battleship, with a design like a crab's claw and a hull covered with turrets. Flanking it were two smaller aircraft, like giant silver helicopters with four rotors, coming closer and closer...

"It's _that_ ship!" Cobal shouted in surprise. "The ship of those Seven Stars guys!"

"Why are they here?" Strike shouted angrily.

"Is this revenge?" Peasley wondered.

The Toads looked like they were about to panic. King K Rool, Cobal, and the Wario brothers looked as if they were going to rush over and fight. Luigi knew he had to keep order, if they wanted to get the Dreamstone as soon as possible.

"We don't have time to fight!" he shouted loudly. "Come on! If we run fast, we can reach Somnom Woods in half an hour!"

Luigi began to run, dashing over the bright green grass and an ivy-covered statue of the Zeekeeper. His companions began to run after him, as the roar of the silver ship's engines filled the air.

* * *

Sthandlash lounged on his command seat, gazing over Pi'llo Island through the massive window on the bridge. He tapped his clawed fingers on the armrest. He'd got these interlopers in his sights. There was no running away from him, not any more.

Sthadlash stood up. "I'm going out." he announced. "Be ready to fire on my command." he smiled cruelly. "I'll destroy them myself."

With a swish of his silver trenchcoat, Sthadlash strode down towards the door. He wouldn't make mistakes fighting again. Oh no...he was about to show them just how powerful a leader of Seven Stars could be.


	51. Battle on Pi'llo Island

**Chapter Fifty-One: Battle on Pi'llo Island**

Luigi leapt into the air, grabbing onto the cool mossy rock. Straining his muscles, he hauled himself upward as on the hill below, his companions milled around, each one alert and ready for battle.

Luigi and the others had sped through Somnom Woods, dodging the toxic ponds and navigating the thick underbrush. As they had ran, Cobal had filled him in about the owner of the silver ship...a Kremling who went by the title "Silver Star", who could summon swords out of thin air. He didn't sound like the kind of guy Luigi would relish fighting...and by the look of the two ships accompanying his, he'd brought friends. If Luigi had known he'd be getting into this much trouble, he would've brought more people with him.

They had made it to the tall stone hills that rose like humungous pillars over the forest. Mist hung around Luigi as he gazed around his surroundings, poofy dark trees below him like an endless sea of trees. There was no way of knowing how close their enemies were.

Daisy leapt up the cliff and hauled herself over towards Luigi. "How much longer until we reach the temple?" she said, looking up at the further hills which rose up even higher, their sides as smooth as a man-made wall.

"Maybe...halfway there?" Luigi replied, trying to remember the last time he'd been here with his brother, Dreamburt, and Starlow.

Daisy sighed and tightened her fist, looking back they way they had come. She could see nothing but swirling white fog. "We won't make it in time." she said grimly. "Even if we reach the Zeekeeper's temple before they catch up, they'll be onto us while you're reasoning with him."

Wario hauled himself up, grinning wickedly. "Let them come!" the portly thief laughed. "I'm in the mood for a good fight!"

"Yeah!" Waluigi exclaimed, leaping up next to his brother.

"Good." Luigi nodded, before looking back up the tall cliff, dotted with small ledges. "Then let's keep moving!"

* * *

Sthnadlash and his entourage moved through the forest like ghosts, their silver uniforms blending in with the fog. The Silver Star brushed aside a thick bush with his black claw, his black boots moving past a bubbling pond of toxic purple water.

He'd brought nearly five hundred soldiers with him. There was no time to take chances. He'd been embarrassed once already. Once he destroyed these interlopers, the ones who threatened the Grand Star's plan, nobody would doubt he deserved to be on the council. The Grand Star's respect for him would grow...and so would his power and influence. Besides, he'd have the honour of defeating one of the Mario brothers...even if it was the lesser-known one. Right now, his troops were engaging Luigi's forces in Wakeport. The enemy would be overwhelmed soon. As for Luigi...he was running out of time.

* * *

The air was cool on Luigi's skin as he leapt across a gap towards another rock ledge. He was now high above the forest, and yet the shrine of the Zeekeepr still seemed far above him. With Daisy and Cobal close behind him, Luigi dashed over the pale green grass, leaping towards yet another ledge...

"Master Luigi!" a Paratroopa flew past him, a frightened look on his face. This Koopa was a resistance member...there were many Koopas in the Mushroom Kingdom who had no loyalty to Bowser, after all. "The enemy is gaining on us fast! They've already started climbing the cliffs!"

Luigi grit his teeth. These enemies were efficient. By the time he reached the Zeekeeper's temple, they'd be on them! There was no way he could contact the Zeekeeper in the middle of a fight!

"Luigi..." Daisy said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Leave it to me."

"Huh?" Luigi turned around to stare at her.

"Yeah...lemmie pulverize them!" Wario chuckled.

Luigi felt nervous. He didn't want Daisy to leap into danger. He'd already lost his brother...he didn't want to lose his love, too! But he needed to have faith in Daisy. She wasn't a damsel in distress...she had fighting skills that would make most people jealous.

"Thank you, Daisy, Wario, Waluigi." he said, before pulling Daisy into a hug. "S...stay safe, ok?"

"Hey, no need to worry about me." she laughed. "I'll be back in a minute."

"Count me in too!" Cobal shouted, leaping up onto the ledge. "You think I'm going to let these guys catch up to you, L?"

Luigi looked from Daisy to Cobal. He quickly put together a plan. "N...no, don't do that." he said to Cobal quickly. "You and Prince Peasley and your other friends...they stay with me. Daisy, Wario, Waluigi, go slow down our enemies." When Cobal looked to protest, Luigi added, "I need someone to defend me while I'm contacting the Zeekeeper. I trust you to do it, Cobal."

Cobal looked a bit disappointed, but he nodded. "Yeah, whatever you say, Luigi."

"Then let's crush these bad boys." Wario growled.

* * *

Sthnadlash's black boot came down upon a flower, crushing it to the ground as the Seven Star's strike force moved through the forest. They'd be upon the cliff soon, Sthnadlash thought. Then they'd be dealt with swiftly and severely.

There was a rustle of leaves ahead of them. Someone...no, several people, were coming towards them. Sthnadlash snarled and summoned a sword into his right hand, gripping it tightly. "Prepare yourself." he hissed to his men.

Daisy burst out of the bushes, an orange fireball against the forest's dark green. Behind her were more people...Wario and Waluigi, and an assortment of Toads, Koopas, and more, all charging towards them.

"Kill them." Sthnadlash sneered.

A duo of Seven Stars Koopas dashed at Daisy, but she batted them away with a powerful martial-arts chop. Wario leapt through the air, crashing down on a group of Seven Stars Toads and Goombas, scattering them and shaking the forest floor. Sthanadlash growled and summoned a sword into his left hand, hurling it like a javelin at Wario...only for Waluigi to leap up and grab it, before spinning around wildly towards another ground of Seven Stars troops.

Sthandlash suddenly turned around to see Daisy rushing towards him. He slashed at her with his sword, but she leapt over the shining blade, aiming a jab at his face. Sthnadlash ducked under the jab and summoned his second sword, striking Daisy in the side with the bottom of the handle, causing her to cry out and aim a punch into Sthnadlash's chest. The Kremling felt a great force slam into him and he went flying, crashing into a tree trunk. Around him, he could see his troops and the resistance troops locked in battle.

" _I don't have time for this."_ he hissed, as Daisy ran towards him, a hard look on her face. He put his boot on the trunk of the tree and leapt over the princess of Sarasaland, landing behind her. "Destroy her." he barked. Paragoombas wearing silver Seven Stars visors flew down from the sky, swarming her. Daisy angrily punched one out of the sky...but Sthandlash was already away.

His soldiers could take care of these people, he thought as he ran through the forest, the cliff looming before him. He'd handle Luigi himself.

* * *

Sweating, Luigi stood before the shrine to the Zeekeeper. The Ultibed shimmered before him, untouched by the passage of time aside from the moss that grew over it's silvery wood. He felt little triumph, however...Daisy was risking her life fighting their pursuers! He needed to get this over with, and fast.

"We're finally here." Dreamburt sighed with relief. "Luigi...the Zeekeeper _can_ be reasoned with. He helped us against Antasma before, and the threat that the Koopa Empire poses is even greater than his was. I can assure you...he _will_ bring back the Dreamstone."

"Good." Luigi nodded, walking towards the bed. "Then-"

"Luigi!" Prince Peasley's voice rang through the air. "They're here!"

Luigi spun around. There, striding towards him, was a Kremling with scales of the purest black. He wore a trench-coat of silver, and in his right hand he clasped a curved sword.

"A pleasure to meet you at last, Luigi." he said, smiling and baring his pointed teeth. "I am the Silver Star, although I will permit you to use my real name, Sthnadlash. I'm afraid your long journey ends here."

"Fancy meeting you again, Silver Star." Cobal laughed, balling his hands into fists. "How's your ship?"

Sthnadlash growled and summoned his second sword. "I haven't forgotten how you humiliated me that day off the coast of Isle Delphino, Yoshi." he grinned evily. "I held back then, but I won't now. The gap between us, good friend, isn't something that can be bridged in one day!"

With puffs of silvery magic runes, six more swords appeared, hovering next to Sthnadlash with three on each side. "I have mastered this unique fighting style under the tuition of the Grand Star himself." Sthadlash said, getting into a fighting pose. "For a bunch of no names and the lesser half of a heroic duo who's time is long over, it should be more than enough to make it easy for me."

Luigi tensed himself, focusing lightning through his fist. Could he take this Sthnadlash guy? Probably...but there was a problem. Sthnadlash had reinforcements. While they were fighting, they could be swarmed by enemies and he'd lose his chance to talk to the Zeekeeper! It would all have been for nothing!

"Don't worry about this joker, Luigi!" Cobal shouted. "We'll take him!"

"Luigi, Dreamburt, go deal with the Zeekeeper." Strike said, igniting a fireball in his hand. "We'll cover you."

"You talk big for a Kremling who's going up against his king!" K Rool laughed, jabbing a claw at Sthnadlash.

"You've never been a king of mine, K Rool." Sthnadlash sneered. "You group of idiots could barely overcome me with one sword...how will you defeat me when I'll at my full power?"

"Quick, Luigi!" Dreamburt whispered to him. "The Ultibed...now!"

Luigi nodded...before he sprang towards the bed. Cobal, K Rool, Strike, and Peasley leapt towards Sthnadlash. Dreamburt transformed into his pillow form and hit the bed as Luigi fell onto it. It was good he was a heavy sleeper, and that the magic of Dreamburt and the Ultibed calmed your mind and helped you fade into sleep. With the sounds of the battle receding into the distance, Luigi closed his eyes.

* * *

Channeling all of Luigi's training, Cobal left over one of Sthnadlash' slices. The Silver Star sent one of his floating swords flying towards his head, only for the sword to be blasted away by one of Strike's fireballs. Sthnadlash furiously brought his other sword down upon Strike, who quickly deflected it with a blast of fire.

Strike closed his eyes, focusing his flames into the shape of a blade. As Sthnadlash sliced at him again, Strike parried with his flame sword, both blades meeting each other with a flash of light. Sthnadlash pushed back Strike, before aiming a thrust with his other sword. Strike flicked his left hand, launching a fireball that struck Sthnadlash' sword, driving it off target and having it just narrowly miss his body. One of the Silver Star's flying blades flew towards him, but Cobal leapt into action. Running forward and extending his tongue, he grabbed the sword and drew it into his mouth, swallowing at transforming it into an egg. Cobal hurled the egg at Sthnadlash, who casually sliced it in two.

"Really, you can't be serious." the Silver Star mocked.

"You won't be so cocky when you've fought the king, you little fool!" K Rool shouted, barrelling into Sthnadlash with full force and dealing a powerful punch. Sthanlash went flying, but he dug his sword into the ground, skidding and slowing his momentum so he avoided falling off the cliff.

"There are no kings here." he laughed, launching a katana at K Rool. The Kremling King's eyes widened. Cobal's heart stopped...there was no way somebody bulky like K Rool could dodge in time!

Then Peasley left through the air, knocking Sthnadlash's sword away with a swipe of his rapier. It clattered the ground, and K Rool greedily scratched it up with his claws. "Well, I've been a pirate and a scientist before, so perhaps I can be a samurai too!" he shouted, grabbing the sword in both hands and slicing down heavily on Sthadlash. The Silver Star blocked K Rool's downward slash with both his blades, crossing them together and pushing back against K Rool. Angrily, K Rool slammed his sword down again and again, to no avail.

" _He's not good enough."_ Cobal realized. " _The Silver Star is too much above his level!"_

With one quick movement, Sthnadlash flicked his wrist, knocking K Rool's sword out of his hand and sending it spinning off the cliff. He then kicked the larger Kremling hard in the chest with his black boot, causing him to stumble back.

"You never stood a chance." Sthandlash said in an icy voice, pulling his sword back and preparing to run K Rool through.

"No!" Cobal shouted, dashing over the pale blue grass. Peasley was faster, however.

"You won't take the life of my comrade!" he exclaimed, running in and deflecting Sthnadlash's stab with his rapier. "On guard, Silver Star!"

* * *

It was cold in the Dream World, a relaxing sort of cold like the cold of a summer's evening. Luigi felt anything but relaxed, though, as he leapt from limb to limb of the branches of the Zeekeeper's great tree, miles above the misty forest below him. The Dream World's magic enhanced his ability to jump so he had no need to worry about whether he'd be able to reach the next branch, but time was ticking. He sprang from the branch he was on, to another, and then another. Sunlight filtered through the pale white sky, making the white leaves sparkle. Luigi took a deep breath, bent his legs...and leapt. He crashed through leaves, grabbing onto another branch with his hands, and using it to vault up even higher. He was nearly at the top, just a few more branches...

"Okay, who's making all this noise?"

As Luigi reached the top of the tree, his eyes were filled with rainbow light.

* * *

Sthnadlash and Peasley ferociously fought, the light glinting off the blades of their swords. They fought with such speed that Cobal could barely keep track of what they were doing. He wanted to join in and give his friend a hand, but he knew he'd only get in Peasley's way. He, K Rool, and Strike stood around the two combatants, watching them intensely. Strike kept a fireball hovering above his hand, ready to launch it at any moment.

The prince of the Beanbean Kingdom was an excellent swordsman, but Cobal knew he was out of practice due to the many years of negligence he'd lived. Sthnadlash, on the other hand, was larger, stronger, and certainly not lacking in skill. Peasley was being overwhelmed by the Silver Star's twin katanas, and it was taking all his skill with the blade to keep his green skin from being slashed. Sthnadlash lashed out with his foot again, knocking Peasley down. Strike hurled his fireball, distracting Sthnadlash enough to save Peasley's life, although the fireball was easily deflected by the Kremling's curved blade.

"You've pushed me this far." Sthnadlash glowered. His three remaining floating swords hovered above him, as he gripped the two katanas in his hands tightly. "But I can see you're weakening. How much longer can you keep this up? Once I'm done with you, I'll deal with your boss. That'll be the end of the Mario Brothers' legacy."

"I'm tired of this joker, let's crush him!" K Rool shouted.

"No!" Peasley exclaimed. "Can't you see, K Rool? If we go in without a plan, we're finished?"

Cobal tensed himself. Sthnadlash was walking towards him slowly. The pale sunlight shone on his sharp curved blades. He needed a plan. He thought back to every fight he'd witnessed, every victory.

The thought of Koops' attack that had finished Larry Koopa flashed through his mind. A shell spin, rocketed towards the more powerful opponent at a very high velocity...a Koopa shell wasn't too different from a Yoshi egg, was it? But he wasn't strong enough to launch his egg with that much force...unless...

"I got a plan!" Cobal shouted out. "K Rool, Peasley, take him!"

He leapt into the air, flutter-jumping over Sthnadlash just as the Kremling came down upon him.

"Couldn't have heard a better idea!" K Rool rumbled, rushing at Sthnadlash with fist raised.

* * *

The Zeekeeper lazily slouched on the top of the tree, resting on the leaves as if they were a fluffy cushion. Luigi stood on a branch, glaring at him.

"Dude, I thought I was going to get a few thousand years of sleep like last time." the large, colourful bird yawned. "And now you tell me that that Bowser idiot's actually gone and taken over the world this time? Come on, I thought you beat him."

"He's...very persistent." Luigi admitted. "Zeekeeper, if the Koopa Empire is allowed to continue, they'll destroy all of Pi'llo Island. The whole Pi'llo culture will vanish! They might even go into the Dream World to deal with you, since you might be a threat to their power!"

The Zeekeeper propped his head up with one wing and stared at Luigi very hard with his black eyes. "Huh." he grunted.

* * *

King K Rool managed to land a punch of Sthnadlash, causing the black Kremling to stumble back, but the Silver Star quickly recovered, sending one of his floating swords flying towards K Rool's head. Just before the sharp blade could pierce his skull, Peasley leapt onto K Rool's shoulders, batting the katana away with his rapier. Sthnadlash snarled and leapt at the two, slashing at K Rool's chest with one sword and Peasley's legs with the other. Peasley just managed to deflect the attack aimed at him, but K Rool wasn't so lucky. The sword sliced at his chest, causing him to cry out and stumbled back...

Cobal knew he had to act fast. There were two floating katanas left, one hovering over each of Sthnadlash's shoulders. Cobal ran towards the Kremling and stuck out his tongue, drawing the sword into his mouth and transforming it into an egg. Sthnadlash ran at K Rool, closing in for the kill...

" _You can still turn back._ " the voice of the strange woman spoke softly in Cobal's ear. " _Stop this, and save yourself. Walk away from this fight."_

Cobal hurled the egg. "Now, Strike!" he shouted, as Sthnadlash pulled his arm back to stab his shining blade into the Kremling King's heart.

Strike charged up a red-hot fireball and hurled it as Cobal's egg, which was flying towards Sthnadlash. The fireball struck the egg and exploded, launching it like a rocket towards the Silver Star. Sthnadlash turned, his eyes wide...but it was too late.

The fiery egg struck Sthandlash with a force that rustled the trees around them. Sthnadlash was launched through the air as if he'd been struck by a Banzai Bill, hurtling off the cliff with a shriek. There was the sound of branches snapping, then a crash, then silence.

"That's what you get for messin' with the king!" K Rool gasped out, clearly in pain from his wound.

"Are you all right?" Peasley asked, glancing at the red slice.

"You're looking at a guy who's gotten blow up multiple times, so yeah, I'm all right." K Rool laughed.

Cobal walked over to the edge of the cliff and peered down. He could see nothing beneath the leafy canopy below.

"I did it." he said aloud. Something about it felt satisfying. When he'd first fought the Silver Star, he'd been completely outmatched, but now, he'd come out victorious. It was good to see how far he'd come.

Strike walked over towards him, crossing his arms. "Cobal, I'm concerned." he said, joining him in looking down the cliff where Sthnadlash had disappeared. "This is the second time we've encountered Seven Stars. If they've got an interest in us, they have to be much more than an ordinary crime syndicate. They might even have something to do with the war."

Cobal nodded. Yeah...there was no way Sthnadlash could be acting alone. Something was going on, and they didn't need it. They had enough trouble fighting both the Neo and Koopa empires.

As Cobal pondered the thought, hoping to all the stars that more trouble wasn't on the way, the entire Pi'llo shrine became shrouded in warm rainbow coloured light. Cobal turned, his shades barely protecting him from the radiant glow, and stared in awe at the rotund bird covered in multi-coloured feathers rising up into the air, Luigi and Dreamburt rising up on his back.

"I have awoken!" the Zeekeeper exclaimed dramatically. "So, uh...who do you want me to shoot?"

* * *

His body full of bruises and aches, Sthnadlash dragged himself up from the pile of broken branches on the forest floor and scowled into the sky which was partially obscured by the thick canopy of leaves. He'd been humiliated for the last time! Sthnadlash pressed a button on his wrist. Oh yes...they were going to regret messing with him. The Silver Star saw blue light obscure his vision, and felt a feeling like a cold wind. His teleportation device was on line.

Angrily, Sthnadlash stepped onto the bridge of his warship, gazing out at island through the panoramic window. "Activate the Blast-o-Matic!" he exclaimed to the crew in the control area below him. "I want this island _vaporized!"_ he slid into the command seat, clenching his fist as the crew pressed buttons on the silver touchscreen control panles. A holographic targeting sight appeared on the window, locking on to the centre of the island. It flashed red. Sthnadlash narrowed his eyes. In just a short moment, Pi'llo Island and Luigi would be no more.

Luigi felt the wind blowing at his hair as the Zeekeeper rose higher and higher into the air, way above Somnom Woods until they were above even the snow-capped peak of Mt. Pajamaja. Before them sprawled the entire island. The huge silver Seven Stars ship hovered over the water, with the two smaller four-rotated ones flanking it. Luigi felt a triumphant feeling in his heart. When he'd last gripped these feathers, he'd been soaring with Mario towards the flying Neo Bowser's Castle, ready to take on Bowser and his ally the dream wraith Antasma and end their plans for world domination for good. He'd done it! The Zeekeeper had agreed to help them! The Dreamstone was as good as repaired, and once it was in his hands, they'd finally make their move on Koopa Central! Bowser's long reign over the world was nearing it's end.

"So, what do you want me to do first?" the Zeekeeper asked as he soured above the clouds, allowing Luigi to see the ocean panning out to the horizon. "Remake Dreamstone, or shoot bad guys?"

"Bad guys." Luigi and Dreamburt said in unison.

"All righty, one Wakebeam, coming right up!" the Zeekeeper hovered until he was directly parallel to the huge silver battleship. A blinding, rainbow-coloured light began to charge on his eyes, filling the sky.

* * *

"What is this!?" Sthnadlash exclaimed, leaning forward on his chair. "Quick, fire the Blast-o-Matic NOW!"

"Still charging, sir!" a Toad replied. Sthnadlash stood up. He couldn't afford to lose this...he couldn't! He was he going to explain this second failure to the Board of Directors? He just needed a few more seconds, just a few more...

The rainbow light filled the window, blinding his eyes. "There's an incredibly powerful attack coming, sir!" a Shy Guy exclaimed. "As powerful as our Blast-o-Matic...maybe even stronger!"

"What about the shields!?" Sthnadlash shouted, spittle flying from his mouth.

"No good, Silver Star!" a Koopa replied. "This ship wasn't built to withstand an attack of this magnitude!"

"Six seconds until impact, sir!" a Shy Guy shouted.

Sthnadlash spat, grinding his teeth together. "Abandon ship." he spat, before turning around and running in the direction of the exit. The escape pods were within reach. He'd survive, and have his revenge on that miserable blue Yoshi...

* * *

Luigi watched as the Wakebeam struck the silver ship, crashing through it and blowing it to bits in a conflagration of fire, bits of metallic debris falling to splash down into the ocean below. The Zeekeeper swept the beam left and right, slicing through the other two ships so they fell burning to join the wreckage of the other. Luigi stood up on the bird's downey back, watching the last of the debris splash into the water. Against all odds, they had come out victorious!

* * *

Thankfully, the battleship Luigi and the others had used to reach Pi'llo Island had not been destroyed. The Seven Stars trooops had seemed more concerned with taking out than blowing up their means of transport. Luigi, Dreamburt, Cobal, Peasley, K Rool (who wore a large bandage over his chest), Daisy and the Wario bros stood near the boarding ramp, watching as the Zeekeeper closed his eyes.

"Don't make me regret this." the giant bird warned. "I let this funky rock stay destroyed for a _reason._ " clapping his wings together, the Zeekeeper summoned a ball of light. Minuscule particles were drawn to it, tiny sparkling grains of sand joining together in the shape of a pale, rainbow-coloured spiral. Luigi's eyes widened in awe. It had been years since he'd seen the magical stone and he'd forgotten how beautiful it was.

"So that's the thing that can grant any wish, huh?" Daisy asked, eying it closely. "That's a lot of power to hold in your hand."

Luigi nodded, taking the smooth, shiny stone from where it hung in the air. He felt nervous holding it. What if he dropped it? What if he somehow accidentally activated it's power and blew everything up?

"Just saying, it'll need a few nights worth of good dreams to get it all charged up." the Zeekeeper stated as he flew up into the air. Lazy as always, the Zeekeeper was going to return to the Dream World to doze. He did promise to come help later "if he felt like it". Luigi was disappointed to Zeekeeper wouldn't help more, although he knew he shouldn't have expected much from the Zeekeeper. "It's just a pretty hunk of stone right now."

"Don't worry." Daisy laughed. "I think you'll be seeing a lot of good dreams now."

* * *

The escape pod door hissed as Sthnadlash climbed out. He'd just barely managed to escape before his ship had exploded. Thankfully, he'd been picked up by another Seven Stars ship soon after. Had his progress been observed all this time?

He grit his teeth as he stepped into the hanger bay, which was cold and smelt of fuel. The vast, mostly-empty hanger was bathed in a menacing red light. Sthnadlash shook himself out as a long shadow fell over him.

"Bravo, bravo, Silver Star." came Skallz' voice as he walked into view, softly clapping. The sound of the claps echoed around Sthnadlash, making him feel on edge. He looked around himself. There were troops dressed in red uniforms positioned around the hanger. He was surrounded.

"Purple Star." Sthnadlash said respectfully, kneeling. "Forgive me. I didn't anticipate the Zeekeeper to get involved. If I'd had just another minute, I would've incinerated Pi'llo Island and put an end to this whole business."

"Ahh, but you didn't, did you?" Skallz said, with a wry smile. "If you had managed to defeat your enemies in hand-to-hand combat, the Zeekeeper never would've been released in the first place. And now the Dreamstone is in our enemies hands...the Grand Star is not pleased with you, Sthnadlash."

"Tell the Grand Star I will personally eliminate his enemies." Sthnadlash replied, bowing his head. His heart was beating...the Purple Star always made him nervous. "Rest assured..."

"No, Sthnadlash." Skallz replied coldly. "You've failed us for the last time."

Suddenly Sthnadlash felt something tight grip his body and he was lifted up into the air. He looked down to see Sthandlash smiling at him, his left hand raised into the air and his left eye glowing orange. Suddenly, the eye flashed blood-red.

Beams of light burst out of Sthnadlash's body as the Silver Star screamed with pain, glowing light a star...until Skallz clenched his fist. There was a flash of light...and Sthnadlash was gone, vaporized into nothingness. The troops positioned around the hanger didn't react. They'd all known what was about to happen.

Skallz fastidiously rubbed his hands together. "Come out, Red Star." he said, without looking at whom he was speaking too.

Footsteps echoed through the hanger as someone approached. His blue eyes a blank stare, Mario looked up at Skallz.

"Now..." Skallz said, turning around to fix Mario with a warm smile. "Let's see if you can correct Sthnadlash's mistake. Kill Luigi."

Mario's blue eyes betrayed no emotion. The hero of the Mushroom Kingdom was dead. There was only the Red Star...the weapon in the Grand Star's hand and the slayer of his enemies.

* * *

The sun was setting over the sea, dying the sky a majestic red. Luigi and Daisy stood at the front of the ship, hand in hand, watching the sun disappear behind the horizon as the ship rumbled through the sky, headed for Princess Peach's new war camp in the Beanbean Kingdom.

"I can't believe this is almost over." Luigi spoke, clutching the princess' hand tightly.

Daisy laughed. "We've been through a lot." she laughed. "I watched Ludwig von Koopa destroy my city and you...well, you've been crushing Koopas all over the world."

"Yeah." Luigi nodded, turning to look at her. "We still have Bowser to deal with, though. He won't be easy."

"No...but you've always dealt with him before." Daisy replied, comfortingly. "Bowser, Ludwig, weird Kremlings with swords...you're Super Luigi! Besides, we're all here to help."

"When this is all over..."

Luigi didn't know what he was going to say to Daisy. Maybe he would've even asked her to marry him, something he'd be planning to do from the moment she'd shown up bruised and dirt-covered at the gates of Toad Town. But he was cut short by the frightened voice of a Toad, rushing out of the door towards the front of the ship, nearly crashing into the Bill Blaster turret on the way. "L...L...L...Luigi! We're being followed! There's another ship!"

"Another one!?" Daisy exclaimed, letting go of Luigi's hands. "This is serious!"

Luigi's heart began to beat. They'd come this far, so there was no way they were going to back down now! "Daisy, tell the crew to get the Bill Blasters ready. Then we can join Cobal and the others, and take out enemies just like my bro would've done!"

"T...t...that's the problem, Luigi." the Toad said. His voice sounded terrified, haunted, and confused all at once, as if he'd seen a kind of ghost that was a lot more frightening than an ordinary Boo... "There's someone standing on the enemy ship. I think it's...Mario."


	52. Brothers

**Chapter Fifty-Two: Brothers**

 _Before you read, I'd like to clear up a bit of a misunderstanding a typo in the last chapter created. That chapter has now been resubmitted without the typo, so this is for the benefit of everyone who's read the original chapter._

 _In the last chapter, Skallz orders Mario to "Kill Mario", when in reality he is supposed to say "Kill Luigi." This caused some people to believe that Mario had somehow been hypnotized into believe that Luigi was Mario and that he himself was someone different. That isn't the case, Skallz simply ordered him to kill Luigi. Hope this clears up any confusion._

 _Also, I'd like to thank whoever created the Character Sheet on the Fallen Kingdom TV Tropes page. I'm sure that page will help bring many new people to this story and ensure new readers even years after it's completed. Thank you for all of the love you've shown this story!_

* * *

The scent of smoke and flame filling his nostrils. The sound of the propellers of Bowser's airship fleet whirring in his ears. The roar of the bullet bills' engines rocketing through the air, fire glinting off their shiny black bodies, their eyes slanted as they closed in for the kill...

It had been the last time Luigi had ever seen his brother. Mario had died saving his life, allowing Bowser to finally end up victorious after all those years. But of Mario had died, who was standing in front of him? Was it a clone? A robot, an illusion, a magical construct? Or...

Luigi stood at the back end of the warship, with Daisy, Cobal, and the Wario brothers beside him. Opposite them, standing on top of the red pincer-shaped warship, independent in design to the Silver Star's ship, Mario stood, as still as a statue.

"Well, it sure _looks_ like him." Wario commented, cracking his knuckles. "I don't know 'bought you, but I'm aching to-"

"No." Luigi said, stopping Wario from moving forward. "Just...leave it do me, ok?"

Wario ground his teeth, but didn't contradict him.

Luigi looked straight at the man who seemed so much like his brother. Something was going to happen, he knew, and he felt that it would be more likely bad than good. His heart beat in his chest, like the steady beating of a gong.

Luigi took a few steps back. Everything seemed silent around him, even the propellers and the engines. How could he face this? Even if this was only a mockery of what his brother was, how could he fight someone with Mario's face? And what if...what if it wasn't a fraud? What if...

Luigi ran towards the edge of the ship, crouching down and going into a long jump. He flew through the cold air, crossing the cap between his ship and the red pursuer.

With a loud _clank,_ he landed on the roof of the red ship, two meters from Mario. There was a cold, blank look in Mario's blue eyes. The man who looked like his brother tightened his white-gloved hand into a fist.

* * *

Antonio crossed his arms as the huge screen in the Seven Stars command centre focused on the Red Star's ship. His two sons, clothed in red and green, stared each other down on the ship's roof. No...he had no sons. Luigi was dead to him, and the man called "Mario" had died when the Koopa fleet had come down on Toad Town. Now there was only the Red Star, the extension of his will upon the Mushroom World.

"I'm looking forward to the Red Star's first battle test." Giovanni remarked from Antonio's right. "Our spells and elixirs have augmented his strength so he's five times as powerful as he was during his prime. We don't need to worry about powerups or hammers any more."

"Excellent." Antonio replied. His blue eyes were trained on the massive screen. "My Red Star will wide out this resistance and destroy the Dreamstone for good. Nothing will interfere with our plans now."

A hologram of Skallz appeared, who gave Antonio a gentlemanly bow. "I'm standing by, Grand Star." Skallz reported, a smile on his face. "At the first sign of trouble, I'll intervene. My Blast-o-Matic has already been charged, so it'll only take the push of a button to fire the beam."

"Wait on that." Antonio ordered. "I want the Red Star to end this fight. The thought of fighting against Mario should be enough to end the Mushroom Resistance once and for all."

* * *

Luigi's heart beat loudly, sounding like a gong resounding inside his chest. Wind whistled around him, blowing at his hair as he stood on the smooth red surface of the ship, facing off against Mario. A flame ignited over Mario's fist. At some unseen signal, his brother leapt forward.

Luigi just managed to dodge Mario's fiery punch. Mario swung his leg around, trying to kick Luigi in the side, but Luigi leapt over it, Mario's foot passing underneath his legs. Luigi had a chance to land a hit on Mario...but he hesitated. This...this was his brother, or at least someone who looked like him. How could he hurt Mario?

As soon as Luigi touched the ground, Mario leapt towards him, attacking him with a flurry of punches. Luigi danced away from Mario's blows, as Mario's fists barely missed his head, gusts of wind seeming to fly by Luigi from the speed of Mario's attacks. Without warning, Mario changed his attack pattern, spinning around and lashing out with his leg, slamming it hard into Luigi's chest. Luigi felt as if he'd been hit head-on by a Bullet Bill. With a cry, he went flying across the ship's roof, landing on his back and sliding across the smooth red surface.

Luigi quickly leapt to his feet and turned around so he faced Mario again. A huge globe of fire was growing in Mario's right hand, blinding Luigi with light as if Mario was holding a miniature star. Mario pulled his arm back and hurled the fireball. It went spinning towards Luigi like a meteor. Luigi grit his teeth. He couldn't afford to hold back on this one; he could end up dying!

Luigi turned around so his back faced the fireball that was zooming towards him. He felt the heat scorch his back. Crouching down, Luigi went into a backwards somersault, clearing the fireball which passed harmlessly underneath him, whizzing harmlessly into the sky.

Luigi's feet solidly hit the ground as he turned to face Mario again. Mario's eyes were dead...but in his heart, something had become certain to Luigi.

His fighting technique, his strength...this was no clone, no machine, no impersonator. This was the result of years of training, years of journeys to the Koopa Kingdom to rescue Princess Peach, years of battling mad tyrants bent on world domination. Somehow...somehow this was Mario himself.

Luigi tightened his hands into fists, focusing electricity through them. He didn't feel focused and determined, though, not like in his other battles. He faced the cold, dead eyes of his brother.

"M...Mario?"

* * *

"So far, this has been an excellent showcase of abilities." Giovanni commented, his arms crossed as he stared at the huge screen. "Thanks to the procedures we've done on his body, his skills have not deteriorated even though it's been twenty years since he's fought."

"It's still not enough." Antonio replied softly. "Show me more."

* * *

For two decades, Luigi had done nothing but wish his brother had been alive. He'd wished there had been a Star or a 1-up nearby at the battle. He'd he'd been strong enough to escape from Kammy, strong enough to knock away the Bullet Bills that had taken his brother's life. He imagined taking one of the legendary wish-granting artifacts and using it to restore Mario to life...even though he knew that the laws regarding that were vague and that restoring a dead person to life with magic only worked when the person had been dead a very short time. After that, Luigi even imagined travelling to Flipside, making his way to the Overthere and dragging his brother back to the land of the living. That wouldn't have worked, either. He didn't know how to get to Flipside on his own, and he doubted King Grambi would allow him to restore a person who was truly dead to life.

But now Mario was standing right there in front of him. Something had happened to him. These people, with the weird ships and the strange uniforms, had taken his brother and turned him into a weapon. Who were they, and how did they fit into all of this?

The lightning flicked around Luigi. Mario's eyes narrowed slightly as fire flared up around him.

"M...Mario?" Luigi called again. "What happened? What-"

Mario sprang at Luigi, launching fireballs from his fist. Luigi leapt over the darting flames, vaulting over Mario, who spun around and thrust both his hands out, launching a humungous fireball at Mario. The red-hot blast shone in Luigi's eyes, scorching at his skin...

Luigi clutched his hands into fists, focusing hard. He'd thought up this move a long time ago and yet he'd never had a chance to try it out...but it was now or never. The lightning solidified into the shape of a hammer, and Luigi smacked Mario's fireball with it, making the skies boom with a clash of thunder.

Mario casually sidestepped the deflected fireball, and launched flames from his boots, rocketing towards Luigi while pulling back his fire-engulfed fist for a punch. Luigi moved faster. Just as Mario reached him, he channelled lightning through his arm and punched his brother hard in the stomach with a crash of lightning. Mario cried out as he was send flying across the ship, before he launched fire out of his hands to propel him back and stabilize him.

"You won't-a beat me!" Mario cried, zooming towards Luigi, flames trailing behind him.

"Mario?" Luigi exclaimed, jumping over him and launch a bolt of lightning, which Mario dodged by moving his head slightly to the right. As Luigi landed facing his brother, he said, "You...you spoke!"

Was he getting through to him? Luigi didn't dare hope for anything. But if this really was Mario, the brother he'd lost for so long...he had to keep hoping.

"You can't-a win this time, Luigi!" Mario shouted, glaring. More fire flared up around him...but his eyes didn't look quite so icy any more. Luigi felt a surge of hope, and the lightning flared up around him even more ferociously, dying the area with a flickering blue light.

"I'll make you remember, bro." Luigi promised. "It's-a Luigi time!"

* * *

"You told me he'd be silent." Antonio said, crossing his arms as he watched the fight on the massive screen. The Seven Stars control room was silent, except for the periodic beeping of the control consoles.

Giovanni stroked his moustache. "I suspected the condition would occasionally result in situations like this." the blue-clad man said, confidently. "Don't be alarmed, Antonio."

"He remembered his brother's name." Antonio said coldly, his blue eyes intently focused on his two tons.

"Not for long." Giovanni assured him. "Once Luigi is dead, he'll fade from his memory. The Red Star was designed to retain memories, only to follow orders."

" _If I don't stop him now, he'll never be free."_

With that thought in mind, Luigi rushed at Mario. He built up lightning within his body until his clothes began to smoke, before he leapt towards his brother. Mario ducked underneath the punch, following it with an uppercut that send Luigi flying through the air. A burning pain rushed through Luigi's jaw and he felt as if his entire skull had shattered.

Mario charged a fireball, the orange glow shining around him, but Luigi, still in the air, recovered and sent down a torrent of lightning, striking Mario many times and causing him to lose his focus. As soon as Luigi hit the ground, he struck Mario with punch to the face followed by another in the chest, lightning booming around him.

Mario staggered back, but assaulted Luigi with a storm of firey punches, his glowing fists moving so fast they looked like balls of light. Luigi ducked under, leapt over, sidestepped blow after blow, coming in with his own which Mario blocked, using combat skills of the like he hadn't seen for years. Blue and orange flashes rang through the air as the brothers traded blows. Luigi struck Mario's cheek, Mario followed up by driving his fist into Luigi's shoulder, before Luigi, staggering back, drove all his power into a lightning-charged kick that blasted Mario back.

"You won't-a win, Luigi!" Mario shouted. "I've beat you before, and this time, you don't-a have your fancy Brobot!"

Brobot...that word brought back repressed memories, memories of an undeniably dark time he'd been placed under the enemy's mind control. But that wasn't what Luigi was thinking about right now.

Mario remembered an old adventure of his! He remembered the first time they'd fought against each other, a time where he'd risked life and limb to save all dimensions from complete destruction! Things...things were coming back!

"I know what you're feeling, Mario." Luigi said, narrowing his eyes and charging lightning through his body. "I know what it's like to have a villain take control over you! But you can break out, Mario! I believe in you, bro!"

* * *

"This isn't good." Antonio hissed, turning to Giovanni. "He wasn't supposed to remember any of his past."

Giovanni stroked his moustache with his mechanical hand. "The mind is a strange thing, Antonio. Even our simulations couldn't predict everything. Rest assured, he is still your Red Star."

Antonio crossed his arms. "He better wrap up this fight soon." he mused. "I don't like where this is going."

* * *

"I'm-a gonna take you down!" Mario exclaimed, pulling back his hands and charging up fire in each of them, before thrusting them forward and launching two massive gusts of fire which spirled around each other, melting the hull of the ship as it passed over it, scorching Luigi's skin as it spun towards him. Luigi crouched down and sprang into the air, the blindingly-hot flames passing underneath him. Luigi condensed his lightning into the shape of a hammer again, grabbing it with both hands and raising it above his head as he fell down towards Mario, preparing to bring it down upon his brother with all his might. Mario leapt into the air, going into a roundhouse kick that swept flames around his body, intercepting Luigi before he could land his strike, knocking him back far across the ship. Luigi felt all the air leave his body as he fell down hard on the red hull...but only a moment passed before he was up again, staring at Mario who was slowly advancing towards him.

"I'm going to bring you back, Mario." Luigi said resolutely, tightening his hand into a fist and pouring all of his power into it. He found his fist grow hot as a blindingly blue glow of lightning focused around it.

"Let's-a do this!" Mario shouted, focusing fire into his fist which shone on the metallic hull, glowing as bright as a star.

The two brother rushed to each other, leaping forward as they both brought their fists back...

They met in a colossal boom that rang through the air, the humungous explosion of fire and lightning dying the sky blue and orange. The Seven Stars ship shook as the force of energy blasted the water below them back in a gigantic splash.

The Mario brothers faced each other, sweating and covered in soot. Every bit of Luigi's body was in pain, and he was panting, out of breath. Mario grit his teeth, taking a step forward. His arm aching, Luigi raised it up, painfully clenching his fingers into a fist.

"Y...you're the Mushroom Kingdom's hero, bro." Luigi gasped with effort. "You might not remember, but I'll show you. B...because I'm your, brother, Mario... _and I've missed you so much."_

Luigi focused all his strength into his battered body, leaping forward with a final burst he know would deplete the last of his energy. His fist slammed into Mario's face with a sound that seemed to echo around.

Mario's blue eyes blinked, and he looked at his brother with a warmth that Luigi had not seem for what seemed like millennia.

"B...bro?"

Then he collapsed into Luigi's arms. Luigi help him tight, as he stood on the hull of the ship which was streaked with scorch marks and melted metal. Lifting his brother onto his shoulders, Luigi ran to the edge of the hull, leaping into a long jump that would take him back to his own vessel. As he cleared the gap, Luigi's heart seemed to soar despite the pain and exhaustion he'd felt.

Mario had returned to life. His brother was back.

* * *

Skallz smiled dryly as he leaned back on his command chair on the red-tinted bridge of the Seven Stars ship. "My my, I told Giovanni that Mario's willpower was far too strong for him to be our pawn for long." he glanced down at the control consoles his crew were dutifully manning. "Fire the Blast-o-Matic." he ordered smugly. "I'll finish this."

* * *

As Luigi's feet hit the wooden deck of his warship, he saw the main cannon of the enemy ship light up with a blinding blue light. He turned, his eyes widening with horror. There was no way he could avoid this! After he'd finally got Mario back, he'd...

Mario opened his eyes a slit. Groaning weakly, he raised his hand and pointed at the glowing cannon, focusing a small ball on condensed fire. It was a swift move. A small laser of condesed fire shot from Mario's finger, disappearing within the barrel of the cannon.

All of a sudden the cannon exploded, sending blasts ripping through the ship's bottom and obliterating it's engines, suddenly causing it to tilt to it's side and begin to sink, fires breaking out all over it's hull. Mario collapsed onto the deck. As Luigi looked down on his brother, sighing with relief, he saw that Mario was smiling.

* * *

Antonio turned away in anger with a swish of his long coat, as the huge screen behind him showed the red warship sinking into the water, covered in flames.

"Antonio..." Giovanni called out, but Antonio did not listen. He strode away from the control room out the door, which shut with a hiss.

This was a setback he couldn't tolerate. The Red Star, who had intended to be the extension of his will, the hammer of his justice, had been defeated. If Mario had been any true son of his, he would've been able to deny his emotions and commit himself to duty, but he had failed, and prevented Skallz from finishing the job as well. His younger son Luigi had gotten away with the Dreamstone, something which could massively disrupt Seven Stars' plan. For the first time in decades...Antonio felt concerned.

There was no need to panic, Antonio thought as he strode through the dark metallic corridor, his heavy footsteps echoing through the hallway. He still had his army and his fleet...and he was still the most powerful fighter in the world, someone who's power surpassed both his sons and any of the Koopas. And he had his most powerful ally.

As Antonio walked, he began to feel cold as the darkness of the corridor grew thicker, as tiny pinpricks of light, like tiny stars, floated past him. Slowly, as Antonio continued to walk, a woman appeared before him, a tall woman with pale blonde hair in a pale blue dress.

"I am approaching, Antonio." she said, in a calm voice. "The Comet Observatory will reach the Mushroom World in a matter of days."

"Excellent." Antonio nodded. "Keep watch on things. When all of the sides meet and everything reaches their peak, I want you to begin the Starfall."

Rosalina nodded. She looked sad. "I once loved this world, Antonio." she admitted, the tiny stars floated past her as if they were moving through space. "But you've shown me the truth. As long as the power of the stars exists, as long as there are people with drive and ambition...destruction will always occur. I'll destroy the Star Children and those who they've touched, I'll eliminate the power of magic and of Power-Ups, before I smite Star Haven and remove the power of wishes from the universe. Only when all are equal and all who have the power to rise above the others are dead...there will be peace."

"Indeed." Antonio smiled. "I eagerly await your arrival, Rosalina. Together, we will bring light to this shattered world...a final end and a new beginning."


	53. The Ascension of Ludwig von Koopa

**Chapter Fifty-Three: The Ascension of Ludwig von Koopa**

Ludwig viewed it from a balcony built into the mountainside, on the other end of the snow-capped peak which served as his main research facility, opposite his palace which was on the mountain's other side. The ship was a true work of art, as befit a genius like him.

It flew upright like a giant curved sail propelled by glowing engines on the end, and the only reference to the Koopa Troop's typical nautical design for aircraft was the ship's middle, which was stylized like the front of a ship, with a long golden prow jutting out into the air. The ship was a warship, the most advanced ever built, but it was beautiful rather than militaristic, awe-inspiring rather than intimidating. The hull of the ship was painted with a beautiful mural, done in an old-fashioned pixilated style, showing Ludwig himself as a giant, dominating over both the lush Mushroom Kingdom and the Koopa Kingdom's hellish Dark Land like a Koopa god, stretching his wand over the mountains, plains, and the two great castles.

Ludwig von Koopa smiled. Before long, that would be a reality. His flagship, the _Symphony of Destruction,_ had finally been completed. His fleet stood at the ready, over one thousand airships strong. He had his war-mechs, he had his tanks...and his father's army was fractured and weak.

The great power of the Koopa Empire, the militaristic nation that had united all the world's kingdoms under one ruler and had brought down the Mario brothers who had overcome even the most insurmountable foes, was coming to an end. Emperor Bowser had grown old and weak, and his son was a brat who would follow in his footsteps. The great throne of the Koopa Empire deserved someone who would wield it's power with purpose...a man of vision. Ludwig von Koopa was that man.

"Huh, looks like trash." Roy scoffed. He was standing next to Ludwig, as were his other siblings who had joined their cause to his. "Where are the guns?"

Larry shrugged. "Hey, if you show them off like they're prizes, that'll give the enemy more of a chance to knock em' out." he replied. "You should learn from ol' Kooky, Roy!"

Roy growled and said something.

"It's very stylish, Ludwig..." Wendy smiled, "But how much longer is this war going to last? It's cost me a lot of money, you know."

Ludwig turned away from his new ship and fixed his younger sister with a warm smile. "Wendy, our father will be deposed within a week." he said confidently. Really, there was no way his words couldn't be true. "Once the Koopa Throne is mine, you'll have all the pleasures of the world to keep to yourself."

Wendy sniffed. "That's what you said ages ago." she grumbled.

Ludwig did not pay much attention to Wendy's words. She could complain all she liked; backing out of the Neo Empire now would only result in her being punished once Emperor Bowser was overthrown. Her warships were pledged to him, the resources of Sector Three at his disposal. His sister would get what she wanted soon enough. Even Koopa Central's elite force and all the capital's city's defences could not delay the inevitable.

* * *

As Ludwig and his siblings made their way down a darkened corridor back towards the palace main, Ludwig sensed discontent. Wendy was grumbling as usual, and Larry was typically impossible to read, but there seemed to be a stormcloud around Roy. Ludwig's brother hadn't ever forgiven him for taking him out of the field. Roy was born to fight, Ludwig mused as he walked down the hallway, his heavy footsteps echoing around. It was a pity that he was too hot-headed to be trusted with such a precise operation. His failure at Neon City had been a huge setback to the Neo Empire, although they'd since recovered. Regardless, Roy was still a liability.

Ludwig had never trusted Roy, but had been quick to form an alliance with him when he'd first conceived his rebellion because he'd known his brother would be easy to convince and would have a powerful military. One day, Ludwig had always known, Roy would probably try to take the throne. Inevitably he would fail, but it would be a messy event regardless. That day, Ludwig knew was fast approaching. Roy would probably try as soon as their father was defeated, Ludwig knew. Even an idiot like Roy would know that was the best time to strike.

Ludwig's position would be unstable, his mind more likely than not overcome with other things. There was a chance, however slight, that Roy could succeed and take him out, stealing the throne that his elder brother had done all the work to claim.

He'd have to keep his eye out and deal with Roy before then. He could have no setbacks in his moment of triumph.

Roy spoke for the first time as they entered back into the palace, passing through an intersection of corridors with a domed roof lit by a chandelier. As expected, he was anything but civil.

"You know, you think you're so great." Roy growled, shaking his head as he followed Ludwig down a hall lined with paintings. "You think that's your right to rule the world, that this whole fancy "Neo Empire" is your own little baby. You've forgot one thing, Ludwig. Who was it that launched the first attacks? Who sent his guys down to Sarasaland when you were too afraid to leave your palace? Who took all the blame, risked Dad's anger, started this whole stupid war in the first place. Yeah, that's right, me. And now that victory's almost yours..." he growled, catching up to Ludwig and glaring at him from behind his sunglasses. "You want to forget that I was the guy who made you who you are."

"Correction." Ludwig replied smugly, clasping his hands behind his back as he walked. "I was the one who made you who _you_ are, Roy. Without my urging, you never would've had the courage to break away from Father. Without my strategies, you would've charged head-on and been ground to pieces by Morton and Bowser Jr's armies. And after all I gave you, you allowed a has-been, the weaker half of a long-defeated duo who's name even I have some difficulty recalling, to defeat you and your seat of power to be destroyed. You're a disgrace, Roy Koopa."

Roy growled, clenching his hand into a fist. "Watch that fancy mouth of yours, Ludwig. You've forgotten something. My guys are my guys...and Dad's elite force is serious. You're gonna need all the help you can get if you want to smash Koopa Central."

Ludwig chuckled. "Your guys, Roy, are now my guys. I'm sorry. Your chief subordinate, General Lukas Crushell, is firmly in my pocket, as are all your captains. You're living in the past, my dear brother. There's no Sector Four any more. There is only the grand army of the Neo Empire...an army that answers to me."

"You think you can take everything from me." Roy spat. "You're wrong, Ludwig. Just you wait. Go beat up Dad, and Junior, and the rest of them. Go sit on that fancy chair, write up a few new laws, build a giant statue of your ugly mug. One day, you're going to find yourself bathing in lava and _I'll_ be the guy on that fancy chair." he laughed. "And then you'll wonder what all your maps and strategies and your _stupid symphonies_ did for you."

"A pool of lava?" Ludwig smiled contentedly. "Roy...how _woefully uncreative."_

Roy ground his teeth and turned away. "I'm leaving." he grumbled. "Call me when we head to Koopa Central. I can't stand talking to your smug face anymore."

"Much appreciated." Ludwig nodded, as Roy walked down an adjourning corridor lined with statues of Ludwig himself, portraying him as he'd looked in his youth. He smiled cruelly. "Don't worry, I'll inform you when we march on Father."

* * *

Ludwig stood on the palace's front balcony, looking over the thick forests of the Wooden Kingdom, tall pine trees standing dark and silent under a starlit sky. High above, Roy's warship made its way through the air, shining in the light of the full moon.

Ludwig felt a cold chill at his back and the unmistakable sound of a Boo materializing. "Are the guns locked on target, King Boo?" he asked, not looking at his subordinate.

"Yes, Prince Ludwig." King Boo replied. His voice was a low hiss, dripping with malice.

Ludwig raised his claw up and snapped his fingers. "Give the order to fire." he said with a smile on his face, still looking at his brother's warship.

"As you wish, my prince..." Ludwig heard the ghostly king say, before he disappeared.

Silence reigned on the balcony. A light breeze brushed past Ludwig, ruffling his hair and shaking the trees far belong him.

From six different cannons hidden amongst the trees, six different energy blasts rocketed through the air, striking Roy's ship. All of it's reinforced timbers and steel amounted to nothing. The blasts ripped through the warship, engulfing it in flames as the purple spiked dome that covered the bridge collapsed and the figurehead of Roy's face caved in as the explosions obliterated the ship, launching beams of wood and chunks of metal far across the forest, streaking fire behind them. The flames reflected in Ludwig's black eyes and the eldest Koopaling's face curved up in a smile.

* * *

"Roy!" Wendy exclaimed as she watched the explosion from a gothic-looking window, Larry slightly behind her. "Oh no...he was aboard that ship, wasn't he?"

"Good old Kooky von Koopa's not taking any chances." Larry chuckled, although privately he was disturbed. He'd been closer to Ludwig than all of this other siblings, but the eccentric genius "Kooky" who he'd hatched schemes and pranks with was quickly being replaced by the darker, more distant "Emperor Ludwig", the man who'd turned the world upside down and brought down the Koopa who had defeated the Mario brothers. If Roy was dead...he shuddered. He'd never liked Roy, but even a schemer like him would never like about offing a brother. Larry glanced out the window again. The last remains of Roy's chuck, big flaming hunks of wood, were falling to the forest, lighting up the night sky. Even someone like Roy would have troubling surviving that.

"W...what if I'm next?" Wendy mused, looking away from the window and pacing around the dimly-lit den. "Ludwig doesn't like me too much...he thinks I'm a nuisance. He only wanted to join with me for my army, I know that."

"Then leave." Larry laughed. "King Dad might be a brute, but hey, he's quite forgiving for a tyrant."

Wendy nodded. Larry could see she was troubled...and sadder than she was letting on. Wendy did have a heart, beneath all that greed and narcissism. "I...I'm going to my room." she said, her voice breaking a bit. "D...don't tell Ludwig about this conversation, ok?"

"You got a Koopa's word on that." Larry chuckled. His word meant nothing, of course, but he'd honour his promise this time. There was no use trying to build a feud between Ludwig and Wendy.

Larry glanced out the window again, where a fire was burning in the forest, lighting the sky up with a flickering glow. He crossed his arms, watching the flames.

He had his own plans. Ludwig was becoming dangerous to be around. Larry had heard of conquers who'd snapped and fed their lieutenants to Chain Chomps because they were so worried about being betrayed. Ludwig was a genius, but nobody had ever tried to deny he was a _mad_ genius.

Of course he wasn't thinking about going back to Bowser. His Dad was a lost cause. And, stars forbid...him, sign on with Luigi? But there were other players, players more powerful than either.

Seven Stars. An organization which stretched from every corner of the world, shrouded in mystery, with seemingly infinite wealth and influence, and resources even all supposedly all-power empire that ruled the world had trouble obtaining.

Larry didn't know the full story, and that bugged him. Seven Stars had a reason for backing Ludwig, and Larry had a hunch it wasn't just the treasury's worth of coins his brother had paid them for their services. They might not be sitting on the throne by the end of this...but they'd be the real winners. Larry, admittedly, had few goals in life, but one of those few was simple.

No matter what, be the winner.

* * *

The sky was dawning over the Beanbean Kingdom as Yoshi and his men moved through the forest, their feet rustling through the grass. They had just past the abandoned Whoohoo Hooniversity and were making their way towards the kingdom's centre, where, in the crater that stood where Beanbean Castle Town and royal palace once had been, was the fortress that was the centre of Koopa Empire activities in the Beanbean Kingdom. Once there had been hundreds of guards stationed their, and always at least two battleships. Now, Yoshi thought, their wasn't bound to be more than ten old soldiers nearing retirement and one Koopa Cruiser. The war had forced all of Bowser's army to centralize. The old Koopa Empire was ending, but Yoshi's war would go on. Once Ludwig von Koopa sat the throne, things would only get worse. The people needed a hero.

Yoshi had around forty men with him...all that remained of the once-mighty Fire Flower organization. Thousands had deflected to Luigi's resistance, first as a small trickle, which turned into a massive flood once Princess Peach was known to have returned. What did that matter? Peach was kind-hearted, but soft. She'd allowed the Koopas to invade again and again when she'd ruled the Mushroom Kingdom. She'd never tried to punish Bowser. The Mushroom Kingdom had had practically no army, and none of their allies like Sarasaland and the Beanbean Kingdom had anything that could match Bowser's military powerhouse, but they had heroes. Each of Mario's allies was worth a hundred Koopa troops, and Mario and Luigi themselves were worth five hundred each.

They would've won. And he would've been happy. But Yoshi didn't have a magic wish-granter to turn back time. All he could do was fight.

"Should we worry about patrols, sir?" Koopaner asked, as they moved through some bushes with soft rustling. "Our scouts reported that this place was crawling with Bowser's boys a year ago."

"No." Yoshi shook his head. "You saw the way things were back at Koopa Central. The emperor's gathering his forces. He's preparing for a final siege."

It was strange, to imagine Bowser living out the last days of his life. The Koopa Emperor was younger than he was. Bowser had been six when they'd first met, Yoshi sixteen. Prince Bowser had been a terrible brat, causing no end of trouble with his mischief, enabled by infuriating wizard Kamek. Bowser wasn't a kid any more. He was a tyrant who's wicked ways had finally caught up to him, and even his own children were rebelling.

If only he could've been been the one to smash Bowser to the ground in the end. He'd already been robbed of his final battle with Kamek, so it would've been nice to finish things with the brat.

Yoshi continued to move. It was a long way to what remained of Beanbean Castle town. He hoped to be there before nightfall.

"Hey, you! Stop right there!"

Yoshi braced himself. A Lakitu was floating down towards them, brandishing a spike ball, mist trailing behind his cloud. By all the stars! The Koopa garrison _was_ large enough to afford scouts! He'd underestimated the scope of Bowser's empire...wait.

This Lakitu looked familiar. He had green hair spiked in a mohawk, and he was wearing sunglasses.

"Lakilester." Yoshi said darkly. "I take it you're working for Luigi now."

"Yeah, that's right, partner!" Lakilester shouted, throwing his Spiny egg from hand to hand. "And last time I checked, you and him weren't on the same team. What were you doing here?"

"Go away." Yoshi sighed.

Yoshi heard a woosh behind him and glanced around, seeing a purple-skinned girl wearing a pink hat appear out of the shadows, her fist engulfed in fire. She was looking right at him.

"Uh...sorry, but we've got you surrounded." Vivian said quietly. "Princess Peach doesn't want any trouble."

Yoshi's eyes widened. The Princess...here? What was she doing in the Beanbean Kingdom.

"Yoshi, we've got to fight." Koopaner exclaimed, looking around the bushes. Various Toads, Koopas, Monty Moles, Piantas, and other species were emerging. Some of them he recognized as former Fire Flower members.

Yoshi hated the Koopas. He hated them with all his heart. A few years ago, Yoshi would've dropped a hundred Bob-ombs on a small Toad village if he'd heard there was a higher-up Koopa officer there on routine inspection. But he didn't have the heart any more. Luigi had broken his resolve. He was not going to raise a hand against people he was on the same side as.

Yoshi sighed, closing his eyes. Just what was he even doing? What had he planned to do? Plant a couple Bob-ombs in the Koopa Troop base, blow it up, free the Beanish? They might be free for a couple months, but once Ludwig took the throne he'd waste no time in recovering the territories his father had lost. Dozens of ships would come down on them and the Beanish would be not better than they'd been before Yoshi had come...if not worse.

When had he stopped thinking about the best way to save the lives of his people instead of thinking of the best way to take the lives of his enemies? Nuclear Bob-ombs, indeed...by his mother's egg, even _Bowser_ wouldn't have used a weapon like that.

"Take me to Princess Peach." Yoshi breathed.

* * *

The resistance's camp was located in a small, grass-covered gorge surrounded by trees, right on the edge of the Chucklehuck Woods. Yoshi saw various tents as he was escorted through the camp; barracks, kitchens, supplies tents, even a couple tents that business-savy Toads had made into Item Shops for the people's benefit.

A few of the Fire Flower members followed him; most had been led away. The majority of the people who'd stuck with Yoshi had been criminals, fighting Bowser either for personal vendetta or for profit. His chief lieutenant Koopaner, for example, had been a revolutionary terrorist who'd tried to overthrow Bowser through violent means back when the Mario brothers were still active, although he had not been particularity well known outside of Koopa borders. Koopaner was going to be behind bars for a long time. Fire Flower was finished, and it's end had been far from the blaze of glory Yoshi had imagined in his more cynical hours, when he'd wondered what would happen if Bowser got them.

Princess Peach's tent was the largest, and it was emblazoned with the crest of the Mushroom Kingdom. He could see her now, speaking to Toadsworth. Surprisingly, that old man was still alive.

Seeing the princess was a sight for sore eyes. Seeing her in the flesh...it almost made him think that this had all been a very long, very bad dream, and his friends at the island were still alive, Mario was alive, and he didn't have the deaths of thousands on his hands.

Princess Peach turned away from Yoshi and took a few steps forward. Suddenly the camp became very quiet. A few birds chirped overhead, making it atmosphere almost peaceful.

"Yoshi." Peach spoke calmly.

"Princess." he met her eyes. Princess Peach didn't look angry, or cruel, or vengeful. But she did look sad.

"It's...it's been a long time since we've seen each other, Yoshi." she finally spoke.

Yoshi nodded. "I thought you were dead." he said bluntly.

Peach smiled sadly. "Most people did." she agreed. There was a brief silence, before she spoke again. "Yoshi-"

"Save it." Yoshi grit his teeth. "You know what you have to do. Tie me to a post and leave me under a thwomp, feed me to a chain chomp, rocket me into space, find your way to that Flipside place and haul me to the Underwhere personally, I don't care. Fire Flower is finished. You're the princess. I destroyed Neon City. I bombed Decalburg to kill Kamella, I ransacked Hollijolli Village because I heard that Roy Koopa was there, I destroyed battleships over Nimbus Land that crushed dozens of homes when they fell...you wanna here the rest?"

Princess Peach continued to look sad. "Oh, Yoshi." she sighed. "Luigi told me what had happened to you. Why did you lose hope, Yoshi? Why-"

Yoshi fell to his knees, glaring at her as he felt tears come to his eyes. Faced with Princess Peach, what else could he do? "I didn't want to, at first!" Yoshi exclaimed, as all eyes in the camp were trained on him. "But Bowser kept on getting stronger and stronger. He kept on winning, we kept on losing...the Mario brothers, if they'd taken out Bowser for good, this wouldn't have happened! I had to do things differently, princess...and as soon as I started taking lives, I knew there was no going back. I'm...I'm not a hero." It was hard, speaking the thought he'd known for years. "There's no going back for me, princess. I'd give anything to go back to how it was before, when I was just Mario's happy-go-lucky pal. But I can't take back what I've done. I've done crimes, Peach, and I've got to answer for them."

Peach took a few steps closer. Yoshi could here the sounds of her dainty shoes stepping on the grass. "You're right, Yoshi." she said.

Yoshi closed his eyes.

"You do need to be punished. But...I believe that people can change for the better."

Her voice was kind and comforting, but Yoshi pushed it away.

"I can't take back what you did, Yoshi. I can't make things the way they were before, but...but I can punish you."

"Then do it." Yoshi grit his teeth. "You've got powerful people here; any one of Mario's old friends could end my life right now if they tried. Don't make me wait."

"You won't die, Yoshi."

Yoshi's eyes flashed open. "Then what!?" he exclaimed. "You're just going to give me a sweet smile, tell me everything's going to be ok, and expect all my crimes to magically disappear!?"

"As Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, I pronounce my judgement." Peach said. Her voice was colder than Yoshi was used to, but it was still kind and sympathetic, just like he'd remembered. "Yoshi...you are guilty of countless war crimes, crimes committed against an oppressive regime, but ones that harmed civilians of both sides. However, none of us have forgotten the many years of heroism that you did before the Battle of Toad Town. Taking all this into account...I order you, Yoshi, to aid us in the defeat of our enemies, until peace is returned to the Mushroom World at last. After that, I command you to spend as many years as you led Fire Flower atoning for the crimes you committed. You'll help rebuild Neon City, donate what remains of Fire Flower's funds to the families of those you hurt, and hunt down the criminals you allowed to run free." she smiled. "I believe in second chances, Yoshi. When people in the future read about you, I don't want them to know you as the former ally of Mario who became some evil warlord and was executed for his crimes. I want them to think of you as a hero who fell into the darkness, but dragged himself back up again. You can atone for what you did, Yoshi. There's still time."

Yoshi couldn't take it any more. He collapsed, a tear falling from his eye.

" _Thank you, Princess."_ he whispered.

* * *

A cold wind whipped at Kammy's wrinkled skin as she urged her broom through the grey morning sky, hearing the low hum of the ship's engines behind her.

The yellow-coloured Seven Stars warship continued it's persuit, it's wings closing in on Kammy like pincers.

Seven Stars...of course they weren't going to let the information she'd discovered become public, nor were they going to forgive her for the death of one of their leaders. The old Koopa smirked. She'd give these people a merry fight, oh yes she would. She might be an old hag, but she wasn't dead yet.

Kammy focused her power into her broom, causing it to rocket forward, trailing purple smoke. One of the cannons on the ship fired with a sound that echoed through the sky, but Kammy tilted to the side, dodging the gold-coloured laser.

" _I need to get away from this mess."_ Kammy told herself. " _I've risked too much to create this Dark Star potion and to discover the truth about Queen Lavaria. I'm coming for you, Your Impatientness!"_

Another gun on the Seven Stars ship fired, barely missing Kammy and hurtling into the puffy clouds below, tinted orange by the rising sun. This was going to be a long flight...


	54. The Grand Return

**Chapter Fifty-Four: The Grand Return**

Time had done much good for the Beanbean Kingdom. As the Mushroom Kingdom battleship flew over the rich green landscape, there could be seen no blasted craters or turned-over tanks, and the single downed airship lying in the midst of a thicket looked almost charming, all covered in ivy and moss.

The one thing that time could not heal, however, was the massive crater in the centre of the kingdom. It was strewn with stone and rubble, not yet completely reclaimed by nature. There was a crudely-built Koopa Troop fortress in the centre standing where Beanbean Castle had once stood, a Bowser flag flapping weakly in the breeze.

The collision of two massive cosmic energies, two conflicting wishes, had done this to the Beanbean Kingdom. Prince Peasley stood at the front of the ship, leaning on his sword with his eyes closed, paying tribute to the fallen people of his kingdom.

This explosion had claimed the life of his mother, the life of his childhood tutor Lady Lima, and countless friends and acquaintances. People in his kingdom had considered him to be the Beanbean Kingdom's answer to Mario, but he'd failed, and thousands had died.

If the resistance won, he'd be crowned king. Prince Peasley may have failed as a hero...but, with the Star Spirits as his witness, he would build the Beanbean Kingdom up again in a way that would be the pride of all his ancestors watching him from the Overthere above.

* * *

Luigi had no interest in the sights of the Beanbean Kingdom. He knelt by the bed in the captain's cabin, watching as Mario slept motionless, breathing slowly. A tear fell from Luigi's eye, trickled down his chin, and dripped onto the bright red rug. Mario was back. His big bro was back. He had to keep saying it to himself, had to keep looking at him to remind himself that this wasn't some trick...but it was real.

Everything was so close to being perfect. If he could have Mario back...really, really have him back...then it was tempting to think that things were going to be...right again, just like the old days when he and his brother were racing throughout the Mushroom Kingdom, dashing towards Bowser's Castle to rescue the princess and returning home for tea and cake afterwords.

They still had an empire to fight...two empires, in fact, and a secret organization which seemed to have unlimited resources. Would even Mario's power be enough to win?

Somehow, though, having Mario back made Luigi feel like he could do anything. Luigi smiled, another tear falling to the ground. Hope...he'd been grasping at it for so long, and now it was finally completely, wholeheartedly in his grasp.

Mario's eyes blinked open and he shifted his head, looking Luigi in the eye. "B...bro?" he asked, weakly.

Luigi placed his hands on Mario and squeezed them warmly. "Y...yes, I'm here, Mario."

"I...everything seems-a blank, Luigi!" Mario said. He seemed exhausted. "Those Bullet Bills...did you..."

"That was a long time ago." Luigi said slowly. "A lot of stuff has happened since then...a lot of bad stuff...but a lot of good too. M...Mario, I've missed you so much."

Mario nodded. "I...is Peach..."

"She's safe, Mario." Luigi nodded, grateful that that was the case.

Mario smiled. "Remember when I-a told you to take care of her in case I left, bro?" he said. "You're-a superstar, Luigi!"

Luigi laughed; it felt so good to hear that familiar, accented voice again.

"W...what about Bowser?" Mario asked.

"I...I don't really know." Luigi replied, honestly. "The Koopas...they took over the whole world, bro! But Bowser...well, Ludwig's rebelling against him and it doesn't seem like he's going to win."

Mario sat up instantly. "Well, if either of them-a get between me and the princess again, I'll-a stomp them!" he exclaimed. "You'll help me, right, bro!"

"Yeah..." Luigi nodded, feeling his eyes grow wet. "The Mario bros are back again!"

* * *

As the airship's ramp touched the ground, everybody in the Beanbean Kingdom camp looked up. It was a foggy afternoon, and it slightly hid the two men walking out of the doorway...a tall man clad in green, and a short man clad in red.

The news had not yet reached most of the camp. The commanders, like Peach, Toadette, and Captain Toad had already been informed, but it was still only a whisper among the ordinary members of the resistance.

The two men reached the bottom of the ramp, stepping onto the cool green grass. As they walked through the camp towards the princess' big tent, every eye turned to fall on them. Mechanics dropped their wrenches, and soldiers off duty put down their bottles of Chuckola Cola. Men and women haggling prices in the item shop forgot about their Mushrooms and Fire Flowers as they turned around with awe, while children stood with wide eyes, looking no less amazed than if they'd witnessed the protagonists of _Toad Force V_ or _Starship X-naut_ come to them in real life.

He was haggard, he was weak, he was tired...but he was Mario. He was still leaning onto Luigi for support, still limping a little...but Mario's eyes were wide and bright and blue, and as he walked down the camp he smiled and waved to the crowd.

"By all the stars in Star Haven, it's him!" a brown-capped Toad exclaimed, in both shock and awe.

"I saw him die..." a Goomba said in a hushed voice, "Is Mario strong enough to escape even death?"

In a dim corner by the royal tent, a green-skinned Yoshi bowed his head.

But of everyone in the camp, the reaction that struck Luigi most was that of Princess Peach. She spoke no words, only ran towards Mario and embraced him.

"P...peach!" Mario gasped.

"Mario."

* * *

While there were a million questions the resistance leaders wanted to ask Mario, and what seemed like a billion younger folks who wanted to meet him, everybody agreed that Mario needed rest and probably ought to spend most of his time alone with his wife.

Luigi wanted to spend more time with Mario too, but he had responsibilities as head of the resistance. While he wanted to talk to Mario, to tell him the stories of how he'd mustered courage to take back Toad Town, of his battle with Roy Koopa, and of the daring rescue of Princess Peach in the middle of a massive airship battle over the Blooper Sea, Luigi forced himself to go to the command tent and speak with Toadette.

"Everyone's getting together." Toadette said from her seat at the table, taking a sip of Koopa Tea. "All our ships and all of our people from around the world. We've probably got at least a hundred thousand now."

One hundred thousand? That sounded an awful lot, especially considering how tiny and ineffective the Mushroom Kingdom army had been back in his prime. "That's so great to here." Luigi replied, smiling. "Do you think we'll be able to make a move on Bowser soon?"

Toadette nodded. "Captain Toad's been doing some scouting." she replied. "In all honesty, we probably outnumber Bowser's forces now, considering the fact that the war's taken a huge toll on him. Ludwig has more than twice our number, though...lots of brand-new weapons in his army too, like nothing we've seen. Supposedly his new airships are armed with Shroob weapons."

Luigi nodded grimly. The Shroob Invasion had been one of the most devastating events in the world's history. Even though the Shroob ships had been small, they'd torn through both the Mushroom and Koopa kingdoms and established dominance in little more than a day. Those same weapons, on larger, stronger ships, with greater numbers, commanded by a man like Ludwig von Koopa...

"We'll win." Luigi replied confidently. "We've got all the old heroes back, just like old times. When Bowser's army attacked Toad Town, we were unprepared. Nobody had expected Bowser to be that aggressive. This time, though...we're the ones launching the invasion."

Toadette grinned. "Most of our people seem to share your optimism, Luigi." she replied. "Now that Mario's back, our morale will be at an all-time high. This is the time to attack Koopa Central."

Before anybody else could say anything, Wario suddenly burst in, his big body blocking some of the sunlight through the tent flap. "All right, saddle up yah losers, because we've got some ugly old Koopa hag flying this way, and she's brought company."

Luigi turned around to face Wario. "K...kammy?" he asked.

Wario nodded. "Yeah, I think that's her name." he replied. "There's some giant stupid ship chasing her too, just like the ones we blew up back at Pi'llo Island."

Luigi stood up. The people who had taken Mario? They were coming here?

These people were dangerous. Somehow, they were connected to everything, and they were powerful, powerful enough to give even him a fight. Why were the chasing Kammy Koopa? Did it even matter? Mario was back, but he was still weak, and these people could ruin everything.

"Toadette, get me a Starshroom." Luigi said, turning around to face her. "I'm going to go and see Kammy."

* * *

Kammy Koopa was running out of time. She'd flown all night and all morning, and she was far too exhausted to teleport anywhere out of the range of the ship's sensors. She'd dodged countless blasts, but they seemed to be nearer and nearer misses. Kammy was slowing down.

Years ago, a ship like this, no matter how big or well-armed, would've been nothing for Kammy. Her old teacher had told her that the power the Magikoopas called upon was the same as the glistening power of the stars or the dark sorcery of the Shadow Queen, and, if wielded by a master, could be near as powerful as either. Kammy knew spells, ancient and forbidden ones taken from grimoires found deep within the Palace of Shadow, which could reduce that ship to a few splinters of melted metal.

But Kammy was old. She'd been swinging her wand for nearly a century now, and if she'd had heard way, she'd have retired to a nice cottage in a cool, peaceful, dark and quiet forest and spent the remaining years of her life drinking Koopa Tea and reading romance novels. But Bowser needed her, and for her to do her duty...she'd have to come out of his encounter alive.

* * *

The Starshroom flew over the purple plains of Stardust Fields, whizzing over rocky hills and lowlands strewn with star-shaped rocks. Luigi sat on one of the Starshroom's stools, as Captain Toad took the controls. With him were Wario and Waluigi, who seemed absolutely giddy for the chance to cause some mayhem.

The Starshroom had been upgraded several times so it was more combat-ready, and Luigi found it uncomfortably fast. It had taken barely more than an hour for them to fly across the Beanbean Kingdom, to the point where Wario said that Kammy Koopa had been sited.

Luigi had mixed feelings about seeing Kammy again. The Magikoopa, after all, had been the cause of Mario's apparent death. Twenty years ago at the Battle of Toad Town, Luigi had been desperately stomping Koopas and Goombas as Bowser's forced closed in on all sides, overwhelmed but not broken...until all of a sudden, he'd felt something lifting him into an air...Kammy's telekinesis. Mario had sacrificed himself to save him. While he was back now, the fact that he'd been out of commission for two decades had allowed Bowser to achieve world domination.

Luigi had long ceased beating himself up for being weak enough to get captured. It was time to move forward. Nevertheless, the Magikoopa's wrinkled face would bring back some bad memories.

"We're coming up on something big!" Captain Toad called as he guided the Starshroom forward. Through the circular front window, Luigi could see a large ship, identical to the red ship he'd fought Mario on except for its yellow colour, firing laser blasts at a small, moving dot.

"Hey bro, we bring explosives?" Waluigi asked, turning to Wario. Wario chuckled.

"We don't need Bob-ombs right now, Waluigi." he grinned, smacking the empty seat next to him heavily. "This baby's packed with firepower. That pink Mushroom girl's got a way with weapons, even though she doesn't look it."

"Take us in close." Luigi ordered. "We've got to reach the ship!"

"Aye aye, sir!" Captain Toad replied, optimistic despite the danger of the situation. The engine revved beneath Luigi as the ship flew towards Kammy's attacker, tilting slightly to the left as it started to close the distance. Luigi could see Kammy clearly now, swerving from left to right dodging the blasts fired from the yellow ship's guns. Luigi stood up, climbing on top of his stool. "Open the hatch." he ordered. Captain Toad pressed a button, causing the hatch at the top of the Starshroom to slide open.

Then Luigi leapt into the air. Wind blew around him and the scent of the both the Starshroom and the big ship's engines mingled in the air. He focused lightning in his hand, blue tendrils of electricity flickering around him...and then he dove towards the yellow ship's wing. Where he struck, a huge, blue explosion boomed around him, echoing through the air.

* * *

The Seven Stars ship rocked, nearly dumping the crew out of their seats on the gold-tinted bridge. "Critical damage to the left wing, Yellow Star!" a Toad exclaimed, looking up towards the command seat where Krezena, wrapped in her ornate golden robes, presided over the ship.

"The resistance...they're getting involved in this." Krezena hissed. She held out her hand, and, with a puff of magic, her wand, tipped with a green jewel, appeared. Krezena stood up. "Tilt all of our cannons towards Luigi and his ship. I'll handle the Magikoopa myself."

She'd wasted too much time, trying to bring Kammy Koopa down with conventional weapons. The resources of Seven Stars had given her access to some of the most powerful arcane texts in the world. When it came to Magikoopas, Krezena Goldenwand considered herself second to none. It was high time that Kammy Koopa retire. Seven Star's new era was approaching.

* * *

At the sound of the explosion, Kammy glanced around. Wait. Green clothes, green hat, a thunder-charged fist...could it really be Luigi? Kammy looked back again to see the green-clad plumber backwards-somersaulting over a laser blast from one of the enemy ship's turrets, landing on it before crushing it with a ground pound. Well, this changed things. While she could trust the Mushroom resistance would try their best not to fatally injure her, she couldn't say the same for Seven Stars. Naturally, that meant Luigi was preferable, in her eyes. Perhaps, even, they were unofficially working together in this fight.

Kammy heard the familiar sound of teleportation behind her and turned around to see a golden-robed Magikoopa hovering behind her on a broom. "Kammy Koopa." the magikoopa hissed. "We meet at last. I am Krezena Goldenwand, the Yellow Star. I've heard the rumours about your prowess, and trust me, I am not impressed."

"You'll find that the stories about me have deteriorated over time, girl." Kammy grinned, flaring magical light around her wand.

"Girl!?" Krezena exclaimed, igniting her own wand. "I'm no girl, I'm fifty-two!"

"Still a girl in my book, sweetie." Kammy replied, twirling her wand around before launching a huge sphere of magical energy straight at Krezena. The golden Magikoopa laughed and whizzed up into the air to dodge the attack, before stretching her wand out and firing jagged tendrils of multi-coloured lightning towards Kammy.

Kammy gripped her broom tightly, kicking it into action as she weaved out of the way of the lightning, colours flashing all around her as the bolts of light narrowly missed her. Even as she was still dodging, Kammy was twirling her wand, charging up another blast. She flew upwards, swerving left and right to avoid the blasts. Krezena realized what was about to happen and quickly charged up her own blast.

Kammy let her bolt fly, watching the violet-coloured fireball zoom across the sky to meet Krezena's own green fireball.

The explosion lit up the sky with neon light, the light stretching down even to the purple plains of Stardust Fields.

* * *

Captain Toad yanked the steering yoke this way and that, as a yellow blast from one of the enemy ship's guns narrowly missed it, flashing past the windows and filling the ship with blinding light. "Aaaah!" Captain Toad exclaimed, tilting the Starshroom to a hard right to avoid another blast. "I...I'm an explorer, I'm not cut out for this!"

"Get off that seat and leave it to someone who can." Wario said roughly, shoving Captain Toad away and easing into the seat himself. The seat, designed for the small-statured Toads, groaned under his bulk. Wario flipped switches on the dashboard, causing the ship to rumble. "Ok, let's see what this bad boy's made of!" Wario laughed. Waluigi giggled as a holographic crosshair appeared on the Starshroom's window. "Time to unload the merchandise." he smirked.

Wario squeezed the trigger. Cannonballs launched out of the bottom-mounted cannon, with the force of a machine gun, streaking towards the yellow ship. They hit, creating a trail of explosions across the hull, shattering the turrets and filling the air with smoke and flame.

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!" Waluigi laughed.

* * *

The Magikoopas flew around and around each other in an aerial dogfight, launching magic blasts as they flew under and above each other, magic runes trailing from their wands. With a ferocious cry, Krezena lashed out with her wand, thorny-vined piranha plants made of glowing green light growing from the tip and zig-zagging towards Kammy, who slashed her wand through the air, sending out of wave of fire that lit up the sky and crashed against the piranhas, obliterating them into thousands of tiny green sparks.

When the flames cleared away, however, Krezena was no longer there. Kammy felt heat run down her back...and she pulled her broom downwards, spinning around like a wheel as Krezena's huge blast passed over her, launched from behind Kammy while she was distracted.

"Huh...I'm getting too old for this." Kammy huffed as she faced Krezena again. The golden Magikoopa had raised her wand into the air, already readying her next spell...

Several large, yellow-coloured pointed triangles appeared in the air, behind Krezena, launching towards Kammy. Kammy dodged one on her broom, batted one away with a quick spell, and ducked under one which narrowly passed over her head, shaving off the top bit of her hat. She pulled her wand back, and from the tip quickly summoned three Chain Chomps made of glowing red light, which slithered through the air towards Krezena, biting ferociously.

Krezena smirked and created three thwomp-shaped yellow barriers, sending them out to crash against the Chain Chomps...but that had been what Kammy was expecting. Even as Krezena was conjuring the thwomps, Kammy had pointed her wand to the clouds, focusing lighting in the clouds above. As her magic chain chomps exploded into red sparks, Kammy lashed her wand down, sending a jagged bolt of lightning right through Krezena with a crash that rang across Stardust Fields. The golden Magikoopa hovered in the air motionless, her robes smoking and a dazed look on her face.

Kammy was panting for air. She hadn't fought this hard since the showdown with Mario before the throne of the Shadow Queen...that had happened many years before even the Battle of Toad Town, which was already long ago as far as she was concerned. Krezena was good...nearly at her or Kamek's level.

But not quite.

Krezena's eyes flashed open, and she gripped her wand so hard that her knuckles turned white. "You won't make a fool out of me like you did with Toadificus!" she exclaimed. "I am your better, old woman! I'll show why you shouldn't trifle with Seven Stars!"

She rushed towards Kammy like a rocket, her body enveloped in green fire, zooming across the dark sky of Stardust fields like a comet, as her ship burned under the continued attacks by Luigi and Wario.

Kammy sighed, and shifted her broom slightly to the right as Krezena approached. The Magikoopa shot past her, missing her by an inch...as Kammy aimed a magic blast right at her enemy's back.

The blast hit Krezena, knocking her off her broom and sending her falling to the ground like a falling star, striking the purple sands with an explosion of magical energy that lit up the fields.

* * *

Krezena lay in the crater. All her bones felt as if they'd been broken, and her glasses were cracked. She had lost her wand.

She couldn't be beaten by this old woman! She was one of the finest Magikoopas in the world, someone who had made the most of Seven Stars' infinite resources and mastered magic both light and dark! She had dreamed of power...a world where she would be on top and would live in a glittering palace with servants who would cater to her every whim. She couldn't be beaten now, so close to the Grand Star's triumph!

Krezena looked upwards. Her ship was sinking towards her, burning as it fell to the ground, bathing her in shadow. _"We were wrong."_ Krezena realized. " _The Grand Star told us that the time of the Mushroom World's heroes was over, and those who were not dead were broken. Despite all of our plans and resources, we gravelly miscalculated. Grand Star Antonio...perhaps your plot is not as infallible as you believe."_

The yellow warship hit the ground, crushing Krezena underneath as it's engine exploded, explosions ripping through the hull and scattering yellow pieces of metal across the purple sands of Stardust Fields.

* * *

Luigi stood on top of the Starshroom, the wind blowing around him. He let the lightning die around his fist as he took a deep breath. The charred wreck of the warship burned beneath him. As powerful as it had been, it hadn't been designed to resist an individual person wielded destructive power as strong as himself.

Hanging in the sky, Kammy wobbled on her broom. Luigi had been surprised Kammy had been that powerful. Even though she was old and shrivelled, it seemed her command of magic was still second to none. It looked like that last fight had taken just about all of her energy, though.

"Captain Toad, move the Starshroom over towards Kammy. We're picking her up."

Captain Toad gave an enthusiastic salute, but Wario grumbled.

"Let's just leave the hag, Luigi." he growled. "She can walk back to His Stinkingness herself. We shouldn't waste our time with a Koopa."

Luigi shook his head and the Starshroom slowly moved through the air towards the exhausted Magikoopa. "We've got to be better than our enemies, Wario. This is what Princess Peach would want."

As the Starshroom passed underneath Kammy, Luigi took the scrawny Koopa in his arms. Kammy smiled. "Mercy, huh? You Mushroom Kingdoms folks are always predictably heroic."


	55. Queen Lavaria Koopa

**Chapter Fifty-Five: Queen Lavaria Koopa**

It was early evening over the resistance camp in the Beanbean Kingdom. Shadows fell over the tents as the huge Mushroom Kingdom battleships, with star-shaped figureheads and a superstructure designed to look like Peach's Castle, descended to the ground. There were already dozens in the air, and more were coming. The Mushroom Kingdom was summoning all it's strength, readying itself for the battle which would decide everything.

Luigi loitered around one of the storage tents, which was being used as a temporary prison for Kammy. The air was cold, but in a comfortable rather than chilly way. Toadette walked through the tent flap, glancing at Luigi.

"She's not going anywhere, not until she recovers her strength." Toadette replied. "She's made it clear she's planning to teleport out as soon as she can, though."

"Does she know about Mario?" Luigi whispered. Toadette shook her head, and Luigi breathed a sigh of relief. Good...no need to get Bowser's blood boiling. "Any news on why she was here, so far away from the other Koopas?" he asked.

"She's told me a bit." Toadette replied. "Supposedly she's on a secret mission, for Emperor Bowser, except that nobody in Koopa Central knows about it, not even Bowser himself. She claims she's been a "missing person" for years, although it's her goal to get back to the Citadel as soon as possible."

Luigi nodded. "I see." he replied. Something didn't seem right about this. Luigi had known little about Kammy Koopa...even Mario had only fought her once. However, he'd heard that she was one of the most intelligent members of Bowser's entourage, the one who'd been responsible for much of the Koopa Kingdom's political dealings since King Bowser had been woefully incompetent at anything aside from burning things down. Kammy might represent an element of the unknown, and that wasn't something Luigi wanted this late in the game.

"I'm going to see her." he announced.

"Luigi...is that wise...?"

"Don't worry." he smiled. "Right now, she's so tired, she couldn't even shake off a Micro-Goomba. I don't have to be afraid of her."

The Toads, ever good hosts, had provided Kammy with a sleeping cot amidst the crates and barrels. On it, the aged Magikoopa sat, looking as crotchety as ever.

"Luigi." she chuckled. "Now that I see you up close, I can see you've aged. Is that some grey in your moustache, eh?"

Luigi rubbed it self-consciously, before ignoring the jibe. "K...Kammy." he said, clearing his throat. "We have some questions to ask you. Why were you in the Beanbean Kingdom? Wouldn't you be with Bowser?"

"Oh, I will, soon." Kammy replied. "There were just a few things I needed to clear up first. Do you know, Luigi, the truth of things?"

"Huh?" Luigi asked.

"You deserve to know, you know." Kammy replied smugly. "The reason why this whole messy chain of events started. The reason why you fought His Foulness so many times in the past, and I suppose the reason why the Battle of Toad Town happened and the Koopa Empire began."

Luigi narrowed his eyes. "It's Bowser's fault." he said. "Don't-a try to blame me and Mario!"

"Oh, I won't say my dear Koopa King is innocent." Kammy grinned. "He could've saved everyone a world of pain if he'd just got over that childish crush of his. But someone predicted this. Somebody set these events in motion, pushed you, your brother, and Bowser into conflict. Have you ever wondered, Luigi...who the Koopalings' mother was?"

"Their mother?" Luigi had the admit he had no idea. There had been gossip in the Mushroom Kingdom about the subject. Some claimed Junior and the others were adopted. A more far-fetched theory was that they were clones.

"Yes." Kammy replied. "Queen Lavaria, the jewel of the Koopa Kingdom, a bright flower who's life was cut too short. She was the real one Bowser loved, you know, but she died, and, well...you know what happened next."

"Bowser went to kidnap Peach." Luigi realized.

"Exactly!" Kammy laughed. "You're catching on, Luigi. You're smarter than you look. Something, _someone,_ has been manipulating all of us, and, luckily for you, _I know who."_

Luigi was suspicious. Curiosity was flying through his brain, but this was _Kammy Koopa!_ She couldn't be trusted! "How?" he peered into Kammy's spectacles.

"These past months, I've been investigating Lavaria's death." Kammy replied. "I tracked her to the Old Castle, where Lavaria lived with Bowser and where the Koopalings spent their early childhood. She was murdered in the forest nearby, and through careful deductions I discovered the exact location of the crime. I cast an old spell, one that harnesses the powers of the Star Spirit Klevar, which allows me to receive a vision of that area at a certain point of time in the past. I've witnessed the queen's death with my own eyes, Luigi." she grinned in a wily fashion. "Would you like to take a look? This is very important, after all. One could say this was the catalyst of everything that happened in our lives."

Luigi took the bait. Was this a Koopa trap? He needed to be cautious, but Kammy's words were too enticing. "S...show me." he asked.

"All right, then. Call your friends, I don't mind. You deserve to know this just as much as Lord Bowser does. Keep what I'm about to show you in your mind, idiot. I'm about to reveal a decades-old conspiracy."

* * *

A few moments later, the supplies tent was packed. Peach was there, along with Daisy, Toadsworth, Toadette and the Toad Brigade, the Wario Brothers, Cobal, Strike, K Rool, Peasley, and every resistance member of note. Mario wasn't there. He was still exhausted, and Luigi and Peach had decided that regardless of where Kammy stood in the conflict, nothing could be gained from having her learn of Mario's survival.

Kammy held up her wand and waved it around, causing glowing green Magikoopa runes to circle the tent, bathing them in a magical glow. "Close you eyes." she said. "I need you all to be focused for the spell to work."

Luigi squeezed his eyes shut. His heart was beating.

A moment later, Luigi found himself in the decaying forests of Dark Land.

* * *

For Dark Land, Queen Lavaria thought, the dead forest near the Old Castle was surprisingly cool. It was a welcome relief from the pits of lava that filled the castle; she understood that fire and lava held a lot of reverence in the Koopa culture but it could be very uncomfortable to be around all the time, especially compared to her cool mountain hometown of Shellshock Point. Really, the Old Castle was no place to raise a family. It was too drafty, and all the pits of fire made her nervous.

Her children seemed to enjoy it, though. She'd long laughed as she watched Larry and Morton chase each other around statues of long-dead Koopa kings, Roy swing over a pit of lava on a chain, or little Bowser Jr stand on one of the highest towers to look out over the great lava sea. Her husband personally preferred his other castles, but they were too egotistical for Lavaria's tastes. She did not want to raise her family in a giant monument to her husband's ego.

The gravel path made crunching sounds under Lavaria's feet as the Koopa queen made her way through the path, the dead trees reaching above her, black branches covering the dark sky. To some it might have been an unsettling sight, but not to Lavaria. There was nothing frightening about the forest near the Old Castle. It was just a long dead forest, its trees withered and it's grass dry, but still preserving a small amount of beauty. You had to know where to look. There was a particular pond Lavaria liked quite a bit. There were still a few pale white flowers growing by it's side. Wendy quite liked it whenever she was given one as a gift, although Lavaria knew she ought not to give her only daughter to many things. Bowser seemed inclined to spoil her, although Lavaria knew that wasn't the proper way to bring up a young girl.

A crow cawed above her, it's wings flapping overhead as it passed. Lavaria yawned. After she got back from his evening stroll, it was time to go to bed. Raising eight hyperactive children was tough. At least Bowser seemed to be less stressed, though.

It had been hard to him, coming to the throne right after his father's war had come to a violent finish. The Koopa Kingdom's resources had been depleted after they'd been defeated by the Mushroom Kingdom. There were many people in the kingdom who'd thought that the monarchy needed to end after King Morton's war-mongering ways had brought the nation to ruin, while there were others, nobles and military officers for the most part, who thought that there was no need for the war to die with Morton. Lavaria still remembered how chaotic things had been when she'd been a girl, how there had been several factions in the Koopa Kingdom operating from different keeps and bastions, each one vying for the throne.

It had taken the wisdom of Kamek, Lavaria knew, to keep Morton's heir on the throne. Kamek had been a low-ranked Magikoopa in the years of the war, a simple caretaker for Prince Bowser who's magical genius had gone unnoticed. All the powerful players in the political infighting that occurred after the war with the Mushroom Kingdom hadn't even acknowledged him as a threat. But through intelligence, deception, and a touch of magic, Kamek had slowly dismantled the rival factions until Prince Bowser came of age. By the time Bowser was crowned the one true Koopa King, here in the Old Castle which had been built over a thousand years ago by the first king of the Koopas, there were few who would not see him on the throne.

Even as a teenager Bowser had made short work disposing of the rest of his rivals, especially since the army by then had been rebuilt at full strength. Even though admittedly Kamek and Kammy had more doings in politics than her husband, even after they'd married she remembered Bowser's angry rants about how difficult it was to get things done in the kingdom. But that was only a bad memory. The Koopa Kingdom was completely unified, at peace, and stable. Peace treaties had been signed with the Mushroom Kingdom; that had been a tough one, especially considering the mischief Bowser had wrecked against the kingdom in his youth. They were probably desperate for allies, though; with the Shroob Invasion hitting it only a few years after the war's close, the Mushroom Kingdom had no military and less resources than most nations.

Lavaria smiled as she continued walking deeper into the forest. She could smell ash, as one always could in Dark Land, but she could also smell earthier scents, which relaxed her. Her husband might be a hot-headed Koopa who liked to think of himself as a tyrannical warlord, but he was really very kind and sweet-hearted. He deserved to live a good life with his family, not a life of war and violence, no matter how much he liked to boast about how he'd been "fighting dinosaurs since he was four years old". If the Star Spirits were willing, though, that was what would happen.

Suddenly, as Lavaria continued up the path, she saw a figure standing in front of her. The figure was a Koopa, who was dressed in a stylish, if a bit old fashioned white suit and hat, bathed in a ray of light from the full moon that shone down from above. As she approached, the Koopa glanced up and pushed back the rim of his hat. He smiled.

"Good evening, my queen." he said smoothly. "My name is Skallz Fortiscule. Beautiful day for a walk, isn't it?"

Lavaria smiled, although she couldn't help but to be a little concerned. This forest, after all, was not often traveled. Nobody entered Dark Land except if they had a reason to visit one of the many fortresses that dotted the volcanic wastelands. Nobody hiked these trails except her and a few servants. She certainly would've noticed if a man like this was staying in the castle. "Good evening to you, sir." she replied gracefully. "This is a bit remote for a hike, isn't it? It's rather late. Do you have a place to stay?"

Skallz smiled. "I don't plan to be here long." he replied. "Why, the only reason why I'm here in this dismal wood is because I wanted to see you."

Lavaria's heart began to beat. She took a step backwards. She was in danger now, and she knew it. She was too far away from the castle to call for guards, and while her tutors considered her quite a promising Magikoopa before she'd hung up her robe to become queen, she'd never quite managed to learn how to teleport long distances. A few meters, maybe, perhaps even enough to take her out of this Koopa's sight...but she couldn't put her faith in it.

"Why do you want to see me?" she asked, managing a polite smile. "If you had wanted to, you could have gone over to the front gates and asked for me. For a queen, I'm not really too busy, after all."

Skallz grinned...but it was a cruel, evil grin now. He covered his right eye with his hand. When he removed it, it was glowing orange. "I'm here to see you die, my queen."

With that, he stretched out his right hand. Lavaria thought fast as she locked her wrists together, summoning a violet barrier. Lavaria felt an invisible force pushing against her, kicking up the dust and ash of the forest floor and straining against her even as she dug her feet into the ground. Skallz grinned and flicked his wrist. Without warning, the ground beneath her rumbled before exploding, flinging her into the air. Lavaria felt herself get tossed through the air, through dry, broken bushes, and as she turned around, she saw Skallz standing underneath her, grinning with his right eye shining like a red-hot flame.

She wasn't dying here tonight. Lavaria grit her teeth, feeling power rush through her. She felt a tugging at her body and a cold chill as her vision became obscured for a moment, as if by fog, before she blinked, now standing on the ground in a grove of dry bushes. Lavaria shuddered; she'd always hated teleportation.

The Koopa Queen whizzed around, easily noticing the white hat of her enemy, and stretched out her right hand, summoning her wand with a puff of magic. She was breathing heavily...for all her talent, she'd never been in a fight before. Kammy and Kamek had taught her the spells; they'd even done drills before, since the Magikoopa advisors had thought it prudent for a queen to be able to defend herself. " _You were right."_ she thought to herself as she spun her wand around, charging up a magical blast.

Lavaria burst from the bushes, launching a red-coloured fireball towards Skallz that trailed magical runes behind it. Skallz spun around, holding up a finger and stoping the blast right in it's tracks, making it disappear into weak red sparks. Still smiling, Skallz flicked his wrist, and Lavaria felt something slam into her knocking all the air out of her lungs. It sent her flying through the air, crashing into a tree with a force that cracked it. She saw Skallz advancing towards her slowly, but before he could do anything, Lavaria had teleported behind him and launched another blast at his back.

Displaying superhuman reflexes, Skallz ducked under the magic bolt and stretched out his hand...but Lavaria had already teleported away and appeared hovering above, launching another fireball down at her enemy's head. Skallz seemed to expect that, and he swiped his arm through the air, reflecting the glowing red blast back at Lavaria, who warped away just in time.

They continued like that, Lavaria teleporting around the forest glade, raining magic bolts down on Skallz, who casually blocked and dodged without seemingly expending any energy. He'd failed to get a hit in, though, so that was something. Lavaria felt exhilarated, like she'd never felt before. Skallz was stronger than her, she could tell that, so she doubted she'd be able to defeat him. But if she could keep him occupied long enough for her disappearance to be noted, some guards would stumble upon her and Skallz. Between her husband and his two Magikoopa assistants, Skallz was finished.

Skallz lashed out with his right hand again. Lavaria teleported away, and the force meant for her cracked a tree, the noise echoing through the dark forest. Lavaria whirled a magic blast in his direction, only for Skallz to cooly sidestep it.

But Lavaria was starting to figure her enemy out. Every time Skallz used his power, he only used his right hand. That meant that he could only use the hand on the side his eye was glowing. Skallz' left was weaker and undefended.

She saw an opening and attacked. One blast at his right, which she expected Skallz to block...and then another aimed at his left, which caused his eyes to widen in shock as he leapt out of the way with less dignity than usual. Seeing her opportunity, Lavaria raised her glowing wand to the sky, calling down jagged bolts of lighting to strike Skallz and fry him.

A moment before the bolts hit, Skallz, sensing the danger, retreated into his red shell and spun away, as the lightning hit the ground, churning up the earth and knocking down trees with a fiery explosion. Skallz's shell went flying through the air as it rebounded against a tree and hurtled towards Lavaria, the white-clothed Koopa emerging from it. He adjusted his hat with a smile as he skidded to a stop, trailing light from his right eye.

"You're surprisingly good." Skallz said. "The rumours of your prowess at the Wizenheimer Academy of Magic were not exaggerated." he covered his left eye with his hand and withdrew it. Both her eyes were were glowing now with a fierce light. "I didn't think I'd get so much of a workout from this fight."

Skallz stretched out his right arm, sending the same force at Lavaria, who hurriedly threw up another shield. Skallz just smirked as Lavaria strained against the rush of power, casually flicked his left hand. An entire tree uprooted, flying through the air towards Lavaria. The Koopa Queen already had both of her hands clasped around her wand to block Skallz' magical attack, and so was unable to block the flying tree. It crashed into her, knocking her to the ground. She went spinning on the back of her shell over the forest floor, dizzy and disoriented.

"You know, my list of crimes is long enough to sound like a proper speech, but I don't believe it includes regicide." Skallz smiled as he raised both hands into the air. There was a rumble as more trees popped out of the ground, shaking ashy dirt from their roots. "It will be a welcome addition to my collection."

Lavaria leapt to her feet as a tree went spinning through the air. It hit her hard in the chest, causing her to drop her wand, launching into the air. Lavaria felt all the strength leave her body. Humming merrily, Skallz slashed his hands through the air, causing trees to launch right and left, pummelling the queen until she felt as if every bone in her body had been broken and cracks ran down every inch of her ruby red shell.

Through blurry eyes, Lavaria saw another greyed trunk spinning towards her as she flew through the air.

No. She refused to die. She had a husband and eight wonderful children waiting for her at home, who could cry if she was suddenly killed at this strange Koopa's hand. " _Kammy, Kamek, lend my your strength!"_ she though, as with her last bit of strength, she conjured her broom in her hands and gripped it tightly, rocketing away from the tree and last minute and soaring into the air. The moon shone high above her, breaking through the dark clouds. Far away, over the black grasping arms of the dead trees, the Old Castle stood on it's lonely cliff stretching into the lava see, accessible only by a jagged rockey path making it's way over the lava. Tall, shadowy mountains stretched into the clouds beyond, dark and mysterious...

This was her kingdom, and Skallz was a threat to it. If he wanted to kill the queen, what he planned could only mean utmost destruction for the entire Koopa Kingdom, her beautiful country who's scars had only just healed. More trees whizzed past her, blowing at Lavaria's fiery red hair, but she dodged them. She hadn't mounted a broom for years; it was amazing how all her old skills seemed to be coming back to her.

Lavaria scared at the mighty stone keep, the spiked rings around it's towers as inhospitable as ever. Ugly and crumbly it might be, the Old Castle was her home. If she could avoid Skallz' attacks long enough to reach it...

Lavaria glanced down. Propelled by some magical force, his eyes shining, Skallz was leaping into the air. He stretched out his right hand, and bits of rock and earth flew into it, condensing together until they formed into a long, dark blade of steel. She whizzed around and send a glowing red magic bolt flying his way, but Skallz slashed through it with his sword before going into a flip. It happened too fast for Lavaria to stop it. The sword cleaved through her broom as it it was butter, causing Lavaria to go falling to the ground. " _Teleport! I have to teleport!"_ Lavaria thought to herself as she fell, looking up at the dark sky...

But something grabbed her first. Lavaria found that she could not move, not even budge a tiny finger. She hung suspended in the air, above a tall pine tree that was one of the few in the dark forest to have leaves.

Skallz lightly landed on a tree opposite her, holding out his left hand. He dropped his sword as if it meant nothing, and grinned at her. "A merry dance, of that I won't deny." he said in a voice that was both cold and charming. "King Bowser chose a spirited bride. It's almost a pity to rid the world of such untapped potential, but, well, such is not to be. I would say "may we meet again in the next life", but the lofty heights of the Overthere were not made for a Koopa as blackhearted as me." His glowing eyes narrowed.

" _No!"_ Lavaria thought to herself. Memories flashed through her mind...a class outing at the magic academy to a town not far from here, all the excitement and hubbub at the thought of seeing the royal procession...

" _Huh? You really think you've got something stronger than my fire, huh? Let me prove it to you, you third-rate Kamek wannabee. This is what REAL flames look like!"_

Her spell had been simple; an ice spell she'd mastered in her first year. Prince Bowser, heir to the Koopa Throne, only son of Morton the Conquerer, the last of a dynasty that stretched back until the days before the war with the Shadow Queen, stood in the street, his eyes bugged out, as the "mighty flames" he'd been about to spew from his mouth were abruptly turned into an oversized icicle wedged between his jaws.

" _So much for your "real flames". If it weren't for those ugly spikes on your shell, you'd look more like a playground bully than a prince, your highness."_

She'd been so sassy back then, when she was little more than a girl, and he'd been even more bull-headed then he was now. Who would've thought that that meeting would've led to evenings stolen under the watchful eyes of the stars, a secret courtship away from Kamek's scheming (he'd wanted Bowser to marry a woman from a powerful family, of course), and a royal wedding in the Grand Cathedral that had left even the stubborn old magikoopa crying tears of happiness.

It was a beautiful dream, and it would not end like this.

Skallz was clenching his hand into a fist. His eyes were cruel and heartless, killer's eyes.

"Wait, Skallz." the voice came from below. It was deep and authoritative, but it was no one she recognized. Surprisingly, Skallz relaxed, although he did not loosen his magical hold upon her. There was a flash of orange, and a man leapt onto another tree to the left of Skallz.

Lavaria could scarcely believe her eyes. No...this couldn't be possible!

The man was human, and he wore an orange trenchcoat over blue overalls. He had a moustache and a large nose, and on his head was an orange cap with the letter "A". He glanced at Skallz with a chiding look. "If you disintegrate her, there will be no body for Bowser to find, and that will defeat our purpose."

Antonio. The great enemy of the Koopa Kingdom, who had killed thousands of her people in the war, the man who had wiped entire towns off the map with a simple wave of his hand. Impossible. He was dead, slain in single combat with King Morton.

"You..." she managed to get out. "How..."

"Morton was a single-minded fool." Antonio said softly. "He let ambition blind him, turning him into a shell of the man I once knew. When both of us were at the end of our strength, surrounded by the wreckage of our fight, he did not possess enough will to live, for his ideals were not strong enough. I was different."

Out of the corner of her eye, Lavaria could see the castle. If all the stories she had heard about Antonio were true, he could obliterate it and her children with a snap of his fingers. "What do you want?" she shouted. "Whatever it is, do whatever you want with me. My family has no part in it."

Antonio smiled. "Oh, rest assured, Queen Lavaria. I am only here for you." he stretched out his hand, and a blinding spear of light appeared, hovering slightly over his white glove.

Lavaria knew it was the end for her. There was no way she could break out of Skallz's magical grip. Bowser's face flashed through her mind. "Whatever you're planning, it won't work." she said harshly. "Even if I die here, my husband and my children will stop you."

"Stop me?" Antonio smiled. "When the earth shakes at their footsteps, when people faint and grow ill when they here they are near, when the mountains crumble from their blows and their flames stretch into the depths of space...that is when I will fear, Lavaria. Never before."

" _It was a good life, Bowser."_ Lavaria thought. " _Short, too short, but happy. I hope you'll be all right alone, love. Don't let rage and hatred consume you. Don't."_

With a subtle gesture, Antonio let the light spear fly.

* * *

Luigi blinked as the lights of the tent came flooding back. Kammy Koopa was looking at him with a solemn expression. Luigi wiped away a tear from his eye. He'd never thought about what Bowser had had to go through...the tragedy in his life which had driven him to attack the Mushroom Kingdom. And Antonio...

"Yes, Luigi." Kammy said. "That man is your father. He was always secretive, which is why nobody knew for certain, but my research and the physical similarity your bear to him confirms it."

Luigi nodded grimly. He'd always known his parents had been killed in the Koopa War, but the idea that his father was alive and secretly plotting the destruction of everything...

"That Koopa!" Cobal spoke up. "Skallz! He was the guy who attacked us at Stoneshell Prison! W...wow...does that mean Luigi's dad has been behind all of this, from the beginning?"

"Quite possibly." Kammy nodded. "That's why I felt you had to know, even if we are enemies." She slid from the crate she'd been sitting on and began to slowly make her way towards the tent flap. "Considering the favour I did for you, it's only right to allow me to leave, right?"

Wario moved to stop her, but Luigi put his hand on Wario's shoulder. "She's right." he said softly. "Let her go."

Kammy vanished into the night. Luigi looked away from Wario and at Princess Peach. "Bowser..." Peach said softly. "I never knew."

"There's something bigger afoot." Toadsworth huffed. "If Antonio, the old war hero, is really behind all of this, he won't sit by and watch us mess up his schemes."

"No." Luigi replied. "But it's too late to turn back now. We have Mario, and we have an army that can challenge both sides of the Koopa army." he took Daisy's hand and smiled. "Let's-a finish this!"

* * *

The Seven Stars main headquarters was among the most secret places in the world, but there was nothing so secret it could escape the eye of a man as skilled as Larry Koopa. Following the unpleasant death of his elder brother Roy, Larry silently departed Ludwig's palace by way of magic portal, allowing him to easily end up back in his personal home in Hooktail Castle. It only took a few hours of research there to narrow down that Seven Stars conducted it's operations from the Cap Kingdom.

Larry took a Koopa Cruiser towards the mysterious island nation. He piloted it himself. His old subordinate Koops had left him, and he'd freed his elite squad of ex-Glitz Pit fighters, too. Any one of his soldiers probably felt more loyalty to Ludwig then him now. Larry didn't mind. He wasn't a sensitive guy. No matter who came out on top in the end, Seven Stars would still hold all the cards. Therefor, to win, the only logical answer was to join Seven Stars.

Larry easily located the elevator leading down to the underground base, although he didn't know the code. So he stood for a few minutes on the side of a misty street, surrounding by tall brick buildings and lit by pale yellow lanterns. Cap ghosts flew by him occasionally, giving him guarded looks.

Eventually, the door to the hidden elevator simply opened.

Larry took it down and found himself in a darkened corridor made of dark purple metal, dimly lit. Facing him a few meters away were two Koopas in purple uniforms with visors (Fire or Ice Bros, by the looks of them), and another Koopa in an immaculate white suit.

"Prince Larry Koopa. An unexpected guest, I will admit. I'm surprised you managed to discover the location of our headquarters."

"Never underestimate me." he smirked. "No worries, though, I'm not about to rat on you to Ludwig. I've actually had it with my big brother. You guys are cooler, so I wanna join you. According to my intel, there are a few seats open on the Board of Directors now, eh?"

Skallz narrowed his eyes. "You're awfully bold." he admitted. "I could kill you right now, but it would be a waste to dispose of a man of your talents. Perhaps this is a matter for the Grand Star." he turned around and gestured for Larry to follow him. "Come now, after me. The Grand Star does not like to be kept waiting."


End file.
